In February’s Engage family newsletter, we advised that ECMS kindergarten staff were invited to participate in a ballot for the proposed award for kindergarten and educators during the month of March. This award, the Victorian Teachers and Educators Agreement (VECTEA), will supersede the current agreement they are employed under and recognises the vital work of early childhood educators. It addresses three key areas identified during discussions:
- Educator salaries
- Workloads
- Workplace flexibility
Importantly, it enables early childhood educators to achieve salary parity with colleagues in the primary school sector.
The result of the ballot was announced on 22 April with staff voting in favour of the new agreement. Early Learning Association of Australia (ELAA) and the Australian Education Union (AEU) will be ratifying the agreement with Fairwork in line with the legal process that governs new agreements. At this stage, it is anticipated the new agreement will be implemented this June.
For more information, read the latest news from ELAA.