ECEC update: Young Academics Early Learning Centres (YAELC) EA – Vote YES

May 7, 2025

Negotiations for the YAELC EA have concluded as an agreement between the parties has been reached. The EA is the first agreement covering teachers and educators at YAELC and provides above-award conditions and enables access to the 15% Commonwealth funded pay increases.

The IEU endorses the YAELC EA and encourages our members to vote YES for:

A 10% government funded increase to salaries backdated to 2 December 2024 with a further 5% from 1 December 2025

Teachers will be paid overtime for attendance at staff meetings, training and parent “meet & greets” held outside normal work hours

Teacher Centre Managers will receive 12 “benefit days” per year, an additional form of paid leave

A 30-minute paid lunch break plus a 20-minute paid tea break

An annual PD plan to be developed with teachers and funding received through the Professional Development Subsidy will facilitate access to “in person PD”

A loyalty bonus to be paid to employees for achieving continuous employment milestones: $250 (1 year), $500 (3 years), $2,000 (5 years) and $4,000 (10 years)

Access to an Employee Assistance Program

Next steps

YAELC confirmed the EA was provided to employees to review from 6 May. Voting will open on 14 May and closes on 18 May. If you have any questions about the EA, please email lisa@ieu.asn.au

Read the IEU’s latest ECEC update for YAELC teachers and educators below.

Please encourage your teacher colleagues to join the union!

If you are an early childhood teacher and an IEU member, check out our Facebook group.