| Press conference details | |
| Date | 21 May 2026 |
| Time | 10am AWST (12 noon AEST) |
| Location | United Workers Union, 54 Cheriton St, Perth |
| Spokesperson | United Workers Union Early Education Director Carolyn Smith and early educators. |
Early childhood educators across the nation will walk off the job in mid July after the Albanese Government failed to provide ongoing funding for their 15 per cent pay rise.
In a meeting on Wednesday, hundreds of early educators endorsed a walk-off on July 15 from their centres, which is likely to force the closure of centres across Australia.
As an indication of widespread support, more than 1,000 centres representing over 20,000 educators signed an open letter urging the government to use the Budget to lock in the pay rise permanently.
But without a clear funding commitment in the Budget, almost all educators face a “pay cliff” of between 4 per cent and 15 per cent in pay cuts when the existing 15 per cent pay rise expires in December.
In addition, parents no longer face the certainty of a cap on early childhood education and care fees, which was a condition of centres signing on to the pay rise.
The pay rise, delivered in 2024 in recognition of the longstanding undervaluation of early childhood education and care work, has already made a measurable difference improving retention, reducing vacancies, and bringing greater stability to the sector.
United Workers Union Early Education Director Carolyn Smith said the government’s failure to act was a serious blow to families and educators already stretched by the rising cost of living.
“This pay rise has made a real difference for the families and children who depend on quality early childhood education, by retaining the passionate, dedicated staff who want to stay in the sector,” she said.
Ms Smith also said the outcome was deeply disappointing for a workforce whose claims for a pay rise to address historical gender undervaluation had been recognised in the Fair Work Commission, but the commission had then stretched out pay rises to June 2029.
“We cannot go backwards. Educators fought hard for this and the government had every opportunity in the Budget to finish the job,” she said.
“The 15 per cent pay rise recognised that early childhood educators had been undervalued for too long. The government made the right call then by effectively bringing forward an overdue decision. Now they need to back that in.”