The clock is ticking. Pay rises must be protected. The Worker Retention Payment must be extended.
In 2024, union advocacy delivered historic federal government support for improved early childhood education and care (ECEC) wages. As of May 2026, the federal government has failed to confirm the funding needed to continue this support.
The IEU is urging the federal government to make a lasting commitment to this achievement by permanently funding fair and sustainable wages in long-day care services.
Improved wage rates cannot be sustained without continued government support. Any reduction in wages would inevitably drive skilled workers out of the sector, worsening an already critical workforce shortage and undermining the quality of early learning for children.
The clock is ticking – certainty about hard-won pay rises must be an urgent government priority.
What is the WRP?
Teachers and educators in Long Day Care and OOSH have won a 15% pay rise funded by the government.
This pay rise is known as the ECEC Worker Retention Payment Scheme (WRP) and is fully funded by the federal government.
This pay rise, fought for by unions, comes as part of a historic multi-enterprise agreement. Since it began in 2024, the agreement has expanded to cover 200,000 workers across more than 10,000 providers.
WRP resources
We have resources available to ensure you have all the info you need to understand the WRP.
We’re stronger together
The IEU is the union for university-qualified teachers in the early childhood education and care sector. Join thousands of your colleagues fighting for a stronger, fairer early education sector.
