Childcare workers campaign for better wages

DARWIN — The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) launched a campaign on October 22 to win better wages and professional recognition for child-care workers in the Northern Territory.

The LHMU has targeted low wages as one of the key reasons why there is a chronic shortage of qualified childcare workers, which contributes to the shortages of places at childcare centres across Australia.

The majority of childcare workers are women and the LHMU believes that there has not been due recognition of the important role and professionalism of childcare workers.

The union has filed a claim in the Industrial Relations Commission in order to achieve improved wages equity for NT childcare workers, following successful wages campaigns conducted earlier in the year in Victoria, South Australia and the ACT. This campaign helped net a $20 per week wage increase from June 1 in Victoria and the ACT.

Jon Lamb

From Green Left Weekly, November 2, 2005.

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From GLW issue 647