MP Phil Donato to rally behind Orange's early learning workforce

Following the sector's statewide strike action on September 7, Orange's educators spoke out about the discrepancies across their industry - they're asking for better salaries, improved work conditions, and, to be included in the education sector, just as school teachers are.

Visiting Orange Preschool Kindergarten last week, Mr Donato listened to distressing issues from educators at the centre, who said they "wanted more" for their sector.

While content with their workplace, educators at the centre stood with all educators in the industry, agreeing that it needs a massive revamp to its conditions - which faces many barriers surrounding inadequate staff-to-child ratios, low wages, and feeling underappreciated.

"In relation to some of the challenges that are affecting their industry, you've only got to see - at the front gate, the signs that have been put up, and walking through the centre - how they're trying to raise awareness to those issues," Mr Donato said on Wednesday.

"[Early educators] play a really pivotal and important role in our community, and in the lives of our next generation - the future leaders of our community - and we know how important that is.

"That can't be understated."

Especially for working families, Mr Donato said the sector provides a place where children can be educated, along with being provided the best level of care and support leading into their schooling years.

On a consistent basis, he said one of the "big issues" he hears about, is from parents and caregivers who are struggling to secure child care placements.

"One of the big issues, that I hear frequently in the community from a lot of working families, is getting access to early education for their children and we need to increase that in our community, it is a sticking point in our community at the moment," Mr Donato said.

"But to do that, we need the teachers - the people who have a significantly vested interest in our children - so, we really need to have the educators. And then, obviously, the facilities to cater for our growing demand."

Stressing the importance of listening to these concerned workers, Mr Donato said as a local member, he intends to raise their issues in parliament and, to speak with ministers in addressing the problems.

Frontline operators during the pandemic, he also talked about how early childhood educators fell in the category of essential workers.

Where, during the COVID-lockdown periods, like every other mandatory worker, they were also going to their jobs, placing their and their own families' health at potential risk.

"There needs to be some kind of consideration and recognition of that by government," he said.

"And certainly, if I can throw or put my weight behind them in support of their plea or what they're looking for, it's something I'm happy to do as a member."

Following the government's recent announcement of 25,000 fee-free training places, Mr Donato felt the remodeling of wages to retain the current staff, should have been addressed as a priority.

"It's going to take several years before we see the benefit of that, and we really need to see something happen much sooner than that," he said.

"It doesn't matter if you speak to the early learning sector or the public education sector, you hear the same common theme the whole way through - that is, that they're [teachers are] feeling undervalued and overworked

"And the red tape and bureaucracy that's being placed on them, that's increasing as well."

Referring to pre-election time as "the eleventh hour", Mr Donato said the government is only six or seven months out from the next state election.

Politicians, he said, will "start making commitments or promises" on how they're planning to tackle the issues being faced right across the industry.

Though, it's looking at the root cause of the issue - where the system went haywire to begin with, which is the local member's concern.

"What's happened in the last 10 or 11 years before we've gotten to this stage?," Donato said.

"The government really dropped the ball on education, full stop - whether it's early learning, whether it's in the public and high school sector - we need to see more money invested, in terms of remuneration and in terms of recognition."

With the dive in figures of people wanting a job in early learning, the lack of workers feeling attracted to the sector indicates the "need to do more", Mr Donato said.

"We really need to do more to facilitate in promoting and encouraging people to want to take this career as a profession. And to do that, they need the appropriate level of recognition and the appropriate level of support, as well," he said.

"They are professionals - they need to be paid appropriately, as professionals."

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