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Home / Community / Educator Discussions / Workplace & Employment

Childcare Union?

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Started by fchaudari76 Community Contributor · Mon, 11 Jun 2012 · 6:42 PM · 19 replies · 22,117 views

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fchaudari76 avatar
fchaudari76 Community Contributor Original Post ⏱ Mon, 11 Jun 2012 · 6:42 PM ·Director ·💬 1,203 posts
Just wondered with all these childcare talks happening etc why such a focus is on how much parents pay and though they mention the shoddy pay we get nothing seems to go further
How come miners/nurses etc strike yet we put up with rubbish pay and facilities etc ... is it because we get paid so little we cannot afford to go strike :lol:
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smith76 Community Contributor ⏱ Mon, 11 Jun 2012 · 10:02 PM ·💬 27 posts
I asked this question to our union rep that came out last week at work he said the reason why they haven;t is that you can only strike if you

are a union member and not everyone in the child care industry is a member. You think about it 99% of teachers are in the teachers union so when they strike people listen, what is the point of striking if only a small percentage of the industry strikes that is why we all need to become part of the union so we all get to have a say.

The talks they have had are only a start united voice are pushing and pushing and pushing ahead with their campaign and there is a whole lot more to come. There is tv advertising coming later in the year. So from what i have been told by united voice is to get everyone in the industry to join the union and be part of the campaign.
dulciean avatar
dulciean Community Contributor ⏱ Tue, 12 Jun 2012 · 7:57 AM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 218 posts
hi- great points here. maybe we could provide some information here re our Union. how many of us belong to it? the Teachers Federation ( union ) seems to be the last vestige of a union with actual sway and power- but can you imagine the impact it would have if CCW's did call a strike? could be awesome. :giggle:
fchaudari76 avatar
fchaudari76 Community Contributor ⏱ Tue, 12 Jun 2012 · 8:22 AM ·Director ·💬 1,203 posts
union rep that came out last week at work
never had a union rep come to anywhere I work.... how does this happen?
what is the point of striking if only a small percentage of the industry strikes that is why we all need to become part of the union so we all get to have a say
I am starting to believe we should all join, it is shocking that people can earn more as a check out person at the supermarket than being a qualified childcare worker :shock:
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smith76 Community Contributor ⏱ Tue, 12 Jun 2012 · 8:33 PM ·💬 27 posts
get in contact with your union in your state have a look at the united voice website and then click onto child care and you will find all the links. A good way to get your centre involved is have a union rep come to your centre for your staff metting. They can hand our forms for you all to join. it works out to be $19 a fortnight and you can claim it back on tax. Also there is a parent petition to get as many people signged up for our wages to be increased at our centre we have the forms for parents or anyone to sign the petition, get parents involved make them aware.
dulciean avatar
dulciean Community Contributor ⏱ Sat, 16 Jun 2012 · 12:45 PM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 218 posts
well for what it's worth- i joined the union this week. after my hideous experience at the last centre i was employed at and lasted only a week, my thinking is that i at least would have some support heaven forbid it should ever happen again!

how do we claim union fees throughour tax? I didn't know we could do that.
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smith76 Community Contributor ⏱ Sat, 16 Jun 2012 · 3:07 PM ·💬 27 posts
have your union fee's deducted from you wage and you can claim it back at tax time
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Liss92 ⏱ Sun, 17 Jun 2012 · 7:14 PM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 1 posts
Everyone at our centre just currently joined the Union, sadly there are a lot of centres throughout Mackay who will not even allow the union to walk through their doors. We need people in the union and stand together before the government will take us seriously. I believe if the child care industry was to strike it would send a very powerful message to the government. Remember if we don't look after their children how are people meant to go to work? That's my opinion anyway... :D
Lorina avatar
Lorina ⏱ Fri, 6 Jul 2012 · 6:48 PM ·Founder ·💬 14,530 posts
Fair enough you can claim the money you pay for the union at tax time but I do have an issue with paying a fortnightly fee just to be involved... I have nothing against the union and I'm sure they are working hard to fight for childcare professionals to improve standards increase wages etc but I just think paying to be part of it and on a fortnightly basis is not right.. I believe we should all stand together as one, not because your paying for a cause! I don't know... I honestly don't see a point?
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smith76 Community Contributor ⏱ Fri, 6 Jul 2012 · 7:37 PM ·💬 27 posts
The union is also there to back workers up if you have any problems with your employers they can be there if you have been given notice of a meeting with your employer, they can be there for your rights and your entitlements as well and will fight for you. If you are not being paid right, your hours etc get changed or your employer is not abiding by your work agreement. I know a few girls at my place of work who has involved the union for a notice of meeting they had and another girl called the union to check a payroll debacle they had so even though the union wants everyone to join it is benificial at times to be part of the union especially if you are feeling bullied in your workplace.
Lorina avatar
Lorina ⏱ Fri, 6 Jul 2012 · 8:10 PM ·Founder ·💬 14,530 posts
This is how i see it, people are either with the union or they are not...I am not with the union, in the past I had to deal with these issues you mentioned and I just handled it myself and I never had a problem once. If I have issues with my pay I would follow up with management, if I have issues with my hours i would talk to my director, if my employers are not abiding by my contract and if I can't work it out with them then I'll just leave! there is no point working in a centre like that!

Think about it if at least 10 000 people (this is just my estimation and its probably the least amount because its australia wide) have joined with the union and they are paying $19 a fortnight that comes to around $200 000 a fortnight of revenue that the union makes...or even more! where exactly is this money going? The union has been around for a long time and I don't know of any changes so far and neither have our wages have increased, infact ever since the modern award we are worst off!

If you are a kinda a person who needs that extra support when dealing with issues at work so you feel secure then I guess you won't mind paying for it but if you are looking at the bigger picture not everyone can afford it when we are alreading receiving such a low income.

I believe that when we begin working in Childcare, everyone should be entitled to a union of some sort without having to pay for it... It's unfair to pay for more expenses when we are already earning low!

Those of you that are with the union are probably going to disagree with my views but this is how I see it...
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fifi31 ⏱ Sat, 7 Jul 2012 · 12:35 PM ·Group Leader ·💬 6 posts
I fully support the union and I have been a union member for 6 years now. I have had issues at work with regard to pay, working hours etc and I have had the full support of my union through all of these issues. We don't have the numbers to go on strike, in my centre out of the 20 staff we have only 6 are union members which is really quite sad. You can claim it back on tax and not only are they working hard to improve our working conditions but they support you if you have issues at work. I say join the union!
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ashdon ⏱ Wed, 11 Jul 2012 · 3:57 PM ·Childcare Educator ·💬 2 posts
As an early years educator and I have been employed to work with the childcare union United Voice in Queensland its so important to join and and stand up. At the moment there is alot of movement out there in the media and in Canberra about the pay and conditions in the early years industry. If all of the childcare educators don't stand tall and tell the public and politicians about them no one will listen. Thats why other industries who stand tall and united get better pay and conditions and us early years educators get minimum standards. We are always putting the children, parents, community and owners/operators first. I think we need to start putting us first, the childcare educator.
dulciean avatar
dulciean Community Contributor ⏱ Sat, 14 Jul 2012 · 10:34 AM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 218 posts
hi- this post is bothering me a little.
The movement is called " united voice" for a reason- if we want to be heard it needs to be in unison. it's a simple fact that the way of the world is complex and tied in red tape and protocols- it's lovely to imagine a world of justice and a fair go for all- but that's just not how it is!
Union fees are 100% tax deductable, thus no real issue financially. The bottom line is there is a Union that can operate within the legal framework of politics and policies- it's no point us all jumping up and down saying 'it's not fair!' as individuals scattered across this huge country.
Until everyone comes to the party and considers the greater good- not individual issues- nothing will ever be achieved or changed!
ok- rant over :yawn:
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Micheal pitter ⏱ Sat, 3 Nov 2012 · 12:37 AM ·BUSINESS ·💬 1 posts
Union members know that to get higher pay, their best strategy is lobbying for more public support. Meanwhile, though, they sometimes bargain with their employers for pay increases.
LindyT avatar
LindyT Community Contributor ⏱ Sat, 3 Nov 2012 · 6:31 AM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 407 posts
I wonder how effective Unionism would be for Family Daycare Educators ?

Just a rhetorical question.
tellitlikeitis avatar
tellitlikeitis ⏱ Mon, 5 Nov 2012 · 8:41 PM ·💬 2 posts
Union fees are 100% tax deductable, thus no real issue financially
It really annoys me when people say as if tax deductible means free. Just because something is tax deductible doesnt make its free. It just means that you don't pay tax for that expense incurred. End of the day, it's still an expense! So I dont see how it can be no real issue financially?

I Totally agree with L.A on this. Finally someone who tells it like it is... Only if union fees were a bit cheaper and reasonable, more people may think of joining the union. Everyone should be entitled to be with union without needing to pay sooo much. 20 dollars a fortnight is not cheap. If it was something like $5 a month, then more educators would think of joining the union. Even foxtel or my mobile bill is cheaper than union fees! It doesn't make sense paying for more expenses when the earning is so less already. Workers who pay for union are always "pro union" and i noticed they dont like it when some one doesnt support the union. Maybe they just wanna justify that their union expense is not wasted. but i don't think it's worth it at all. I don't see any improvement on any wages and it's been years. Even if there is a wage increase in the future, the credit should go to the hard working educators in this field. This is my take on this...
dulciean avatar
dulciean Community Contributor ⏱ Sat, 10 Nov 2012 · 9:39 PM ·Early Childhood Educator ·💬 218 posts
It's true- I admit I really don't know where my union fees are going but I do know I can access that info if I wanted to. I guess my take is more grass- roots, I feel I'm doing my bit in showing support for us all and maybe just maybe making a difference for young educators who'll come along behind me .. Not for me personally but for the Industry as a whole .
I liken it to folk who whine about the prime minister but do not vote, or vote with ignorance about their leaders. There are doers and there are sayers...I like being a doer! :)
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brookec ⏱ Tue, 13 Nov 2012 · 12:06 PM ·💬 1 posts
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tellitlikeitis avatar
tellitlikeitis ⏱ Tue, 13 Nov 2012 · 4:24 PM ·💬 2 posts
If there is ever a pay increase how can the union take all the credit? what about all the hard and never ending efforts by so many educators all over aus? So you are saying union does everything and no one else? I cant do much other than laugh at this silly remark!
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