Big Fat Smile is thrilled to be part of a significant milestone in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) that promises to uplift the entire sector and recognise the invaluable contributions of our educators and teachers. The new multi-employer agreement and the government’s commitment to fund a 15% wage increase over two years, on top of the existing award rate, is a historic achievement. It underscores the essential roles early childhood education and care professionals play in the lives of children, families, and our broader community.
A Collaborative Effort Towards Progress for our Long Day Care Services
Big Fat Smile has been one of 64 providers, and the largest not for profit provider, participating in negotiations for a Multi-Employer Agreement in order to be one of the first providers to pass on the wage increase to its staff. This is on top of our current above award rates with educators paid up to 5% more on average and teachers paid more than 10% above the award. We are pleased to announce that agreement has been reached on the Early Childhood Education and Care Multi-Employer Agreement 2024-2026. This is a crucial step toward formalising the wage increase and securing the future of our teachers and educators.
Progress for our Outside of School Hours (OOSH) services
We have also been working with our OOSH staff to ensure they too will be eligible for the funded wage increase as early as possible.
Special Note for Term-Only Preschool (TOP) Colleagues
Our Term-Only Preschool colleagues, who are state-funded, are also part of this transformative process. We are actively involved in the steering committee shaping negotiations for the multi-employer bargaining process that is underway for preschools, ensuring that their contributions are recognised.
Looking Ahead: Final Steps and Implementation
Stay tuned for further updates as we continue to make strides towards a better future for our educators and the community they serve.
If you’re looking for an organisation that’ll help you grow and reward you then look no further! Search our current jobs here https://bigfatsmile.com.au/careers/, or learn more about the benefits of working at Big Fat Smile here https://bigfatsmile.com.au/careers/early-learning-and-care-careers/
