Fair pay process begins for ECE employees

<h2><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">On Monday May 1&comma; NZEI Te Riu Roa began the Fair Pay Agreement process for kaiako and kaimahi &lpar;employees&rpar; in the early childhood sector by submitting an initial application to the Ministry for Business&comma; Innovation and Employment&period; <&sol;span><&sol;h2>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">A Fair Pay Agreement such as this would aim to outline pay and working conditions across the sector&period;<&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto"><b>Read the Term 1 edition of <i>School News<&sol;i> <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener noreferrer" data-auth&equals;"NotApplicable" data-safelink&equals;"true" data-linkindex&equals;"0">HERE&period;<&sol;a><&sol;b> <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Over 5000 workers signed in support of a Fair Pay Agreement for ECE workers&period; If successful&comma; the policy will cover over 30&comma;000 early childhood teachers and employees&period;<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">NZEI Te Riu Roa early childhood representative Sandie Burn&comma; who is a kindergarten teacher&comma; detailed some of the changes the sector is seeking with the Fair Pay Agreement&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;Pay parity&comma; non-contact time&comma; teacher-to-child ratios&comma; recognition of the special skills and contribution of our teachers or te reo M&amacr;ori&comma; and health and safety are important issues for us all&period;”<&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<&sol;blockquote>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">Margaret Barclay&comma; an ECE kaiako that has worked in the sector for almost 50 years&comma; says this announcement could benefit the &OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;diverse and fragmented” ECE sector&period; <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><span data-contrast&equals;"auto">&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;I am aware of the wide range of working conditions and remuneration in ECE&period; Now is our opportunity to bargain which will help achieve quality early childhood education across the motu for every child out there&period;” <&sol;span><span data-ccp-props&equals;"&lbrace;&quot&semi;201341983&quot&semi;&colon;0&comma;&quot&semi;335559739&quot&semi;&colon;160&comma;&quot&semi;335559740&quot&semi;&colon;259&rcub;"> <&sol;span><&sol;p>&NewLine;