Since late 2024, the IEU, along with our preschool ambassadors, Community Early Learning Australia (CELA) and the United Workers Union (UWU), have been engaged in supported bargaining with the NSW Government.
In late July 2025, the NSW Government sought to withdraw from the bargaining process. They say that funding will not be increased, and no additional support will be provided to community preschools to address the systemic and growing workforce crisis. They reject any role in assisting in the attainment of fair pay and conditions in the sector, through greater state-wide coordination and financial support.
We seek your support in demanding the NSW Government reconsider its position. We need the NSW Government to work with us to find a way forward for NSW community-based preschools.
Funding for community preschools is solely derived from the NSW Government, with limited funding raised by parental fees and fund raising.
On average, over 80% of funding received by community preschools is spent on wages. Preschools do not receive any Commonwealth funding.
Campaign Updates:
10 September 2025: Media Release: Community Preschools in crisis – Union demands action from NSW Government
18 August 2025: Urgent Call – Stand with community preschools
7 August 2025: Supported bargaining update
1 July 2025: Supported bargaining update
7 May, 2025: Supported bargaining update
2 April, 2025: Supported bargaining update
13 March, 2025: Supported bargaining update
30 October, 2024: Log of claims before the Fair Work Commission
30 September, 2024: Fair Work Commission issues Supported Bargaining Authorisation
23 September, 2024: Media Release – Fair Work Commission authorises bargaining for staff in over 100 preschools
9 September, 2024: ECEC Extra – Historic bid for better preschool pay
27 July, 2024: IEU lodges application for supported bargaining
4 July, 2024: Media Alert – Union files revolutionary pay-rise application for staff in over 100 preschools
9 April, 2024: IEU Preschools Campaign – Unite for Change
8 April, 2024: Media Release – IEU launches pay rise campaign for preschools
What is supported bargaining?
Our union, along with the United Workers Union, filed for a supported bargaining authorisation in the Fair Work Commission, with the support of the Community Early Learning Australia (CELA), who represent not-for-profit community-based preschools.
The supported bargaining stream enables us to join the NSW Government as a party to the bargaining and address the systemic concerns with pay and conditions in our sector.
Lack of funding = Staff shortages
By and large, community preschools pay their staff the award rates of pay. This means:
- Beginning preschool teachers: are paid just $67,513 a year under the applicable modern award, while their colleagues in schools are paid $85,000 a year.
- Experienced preschool teachers: under the modern award, the top rate for an experienced teacher is $86,876 per year. In comparison, a teacher with the same level of experience working in a NSW government school is currently paid $122,100 a year.
A degree-qualified teacher working in a community preschool is earning between 15-30k less than their colleagues in schools. Right now, we are losing teachers and educators to schools, TAFE, long day care and NDIS, where they can earn significantly more. If this continues, many high-quality community preschools across NSW and the ACT will be forced to shut their doors due to a lack of quality staff.
Campaign launch for Unite for Change – 9 April 2024
Supporting ECEC teachers is an investment in the future
It is widely accepted that high-quality early childhood education is crucial to brain development and fundamental to achieving lifelong learning outcomes. It lays a strong foundation for academic success as children progress through school and beyond.
Not only is about 97 per cent of the early childhood education workforce female, providing high-quality, affordable preschools assists women who have young children to re-enter the workforce.
“If preschool teachers were paid comparably to school teachers, they would be more likely to enter the sector and less likely to leave. Teachers, children, parents and the community at large only stand to gain from a strong preschool sector. We need to unite for change.”
IEUA NSW/ACT Branch Secretary Carol Matthews
We need a 25 per cent increase for beginning teachers and more for experienced teachers working in preschools. Preschool teachers in other states and territories receive pay rates comparable to school teachers. The NSW government has already shown its commitment to teachers in schools by taking real action to address teacher shortages. Now it’s time to focus on the needs of our preschools. We urge the NSW government to step up and address the staff shortages caused by inadequate pay and conditions in community-based preschools.
Lodging the application for supported bargaining in the Fair Work Commission – 5 July 2024
Help us make a difference in NSW preschools – Join the IEU today!