HORSHAM District Kindergarten Association has warned parents could be hit with higher fees if wages rise and the government does not increase funding to the sector.
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Laharum Pre-School was closed on Wednesday after a staff member went on strike.
More than 1000 kindergarten teachers across the state attended a stop work meeting in Melbourne to campaign for pay parity with primary school teachers.
Association early years manager Shirleen Greening said the organisation supported the push for better pay for kindergarten teachers.
She said further industrial action, including more staff choosing to stop work, could not be ruled out.
Mrs Greening said if staff salaries went up without the government budgeting for it, parents would be hit with fee hikes.
“We are reliant on government funding,” she said.
“We are a not-for-profit organisation that runs on a very tight budget.
“Staff salaries are paid by government funding.
"Should that government funding not increase and if we chose to increase salaries of our staff, that would mean a considerable increase in fees and charges to parents.
“At this stage we couldn’t increase salaries without a change to government policy and funding.”
Mrs Greening said other staff supported the drive for pay equity.
“But they felt that there were other ways they could follow up on that rather than taking industrial action,” she said.
“As an organisation we certainly support the staff push for pay equity given that our teachers are qualified teachers and have the same qualifications and training as primary school teachers.
“They are paid considerably less and we support their action to rectify that.”
Mrs Greening said without the striking staff member, Laharum was unable to open.
“We must still meet our obligations under the regulations,” she said.
“If one staff member goes out we can’t run a program because we wouldn’t be meeting our obligations.
“We wanted to minimise disruption to families and services.
“It was the staff member’s choice whether they wanted to take part in a stop work and-or pursue other forms of industrial action such as work to rule, where for example, they don’t complete certain paperwork.”
Mrs Greening said impending changes to teacher-student ratios in Victoria could also affect fees.
“Currently the educator to child ratio is 15 to 1. In 2016 that will change to 11 children to one educator,” she said.
She said the current award for kindergarten teachers finished in 2012, making it difficult to plan and budget for any changes to salaries.
“It’s a grey area. We’re not sure if wages and conditions will change,” she said.
“It has taken two years and I don’t feel we’re any closer to a resolution.”