FED:Govt asked to raise childcare worker pay

AAP General News (Australia)
12-02-2011
FED:Govt asked to raise childcare worker pay

SYDNEY, Dec 2 AAP - A union leader has used the ALP national conference to call on
the federal government to supplement the low pay of childcare workers.

United Voice assistant national secretary Sue Lines told the conference, which began
in Sydney on Friday, that although child care had improved under federal Labor it was
an "unfinished story".

Ms Line said childcare workers earned $18.06 an hour, drawing cries of "shame" from
some of the conference delegates.

"The federal government must come to the party," she said during a debate on Labor's
education platform.

"This cost can't be borne by the parents."

Staff turnover was about 32 per cent, equating to about 15,000 experienced staff leaving
the industry each year, she said.

Frontbench minister Kate Ellis told the conference Labor was spending $21 billion over
four years on child care and early education.

This compared with $7 billion in the last four years of the Howard government.

Meanwhile, the conference has endorsed a new policy banning private organisations from
running public schools.

The conference earlier heard concerns that Serco, a company that operates prisons and
immigration detention centres, could offer to run schools in Western Australia.

AAP pjo/klm/jhp

KEYWORD: LABOR CHILD

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.