BY OLIVIA GOELDNER
After significant efforts from the Independent Education Union, long day care workers in the Hunter are set to be awarded a 15% pay increase.
Under the current award, full-time long day care workers are being paid $93,000 a year, but with the increase it will be bumped up to over $107,000.
The federal government is set to invest $3.6 billion dollars into the increase, with pays to jump up by 10% in December, and 5% a year later.
The union also welcomed the proposed 4.4% cap on fee increases for parents over the next 12 months.
Carol Matthews from the union says the pay rise is aiming to boost workforce attraction and retention.
"The rate of pay at the moment, is well under that of teachers in schools.
"The conditions are pretty demanding, both the nature of the work and other conditions that go along with it. that has led to a real shortage of teachers and services are finding it really hard to fill those positions."
Additional laws being requested by the union aim to address the long-term failure to properly value work in feminised sectors including early childhood education and care.
"It's not an accident that female dominated areas are being paid less than those with less women, so it's a great move. We know there is more work to do, but this is a great first step."
Discussions are currently being made between the union and the federal government as to how the funding will be distributed.
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