A LIMERICK senator has supported calls for a significant pay rise for early years educators to be secured in upcoming pay talks between SIPTU and employer representatives at the Workplace Relations Commission.
Speaking as pay negotiations were about to begin, Sinn Féin Senator Paul Gavan explained: “A significant pay rise for childcare workers is essential to deal with the worsening staffing crisis in the sector, which is at the root of many of the other issues affecting services.”
“I fully support SIPTU’s call for a €2 an hour pay increase. The issue of low pay across the Early Years Education sector has to be called out. For example, a Lead Educator with an honours degree qualification in childcare earns just €13.21 per hour on average.”
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