Childcare fee rip offs

Date: 01 July 2005

Helen Creed, LHMU Child Care Union

Parents using childcare centres in Canberra and across Victoria should be
very wary of fee increase rip-offs - the LHMU Child Care Union warned today.

Childcare union activists will work with the community to keep childcare affordable, Helen Creed, LHMU Child Care Union National President said today.

  " And together we can keep child care service providers honest," Ms Creed said.

  LHMU Child Care Union members have won historic pay increases - after a three year long campaign by union activists.

  " While this increase is for Victorian and ACT childcare workers the LHMU Child Care Union expects similar pay increases will spread to other states with activists campaigning at centres in most states in support of major cases before various State tribunals," Ms Creed said.

  The first instalment for these important ACT and Victorian increases will be delivered in the first pay period after Friday, July 1, 2005." It will take another 18 months before the final instalment on the pay increases are in the pockets of childcare workers," Ms Creed noted.

  " However some for-profit centres are already telling mums and dads that they will now have to pay $4 a day increase," Helen Creed said.

  " The average fee increase will be $4 per day once the totality of the new wage increase is introduced in 18 months time.

  " The Industrial Relations Commission has firmly warned for-profit childcare centres that if they increase child care fees by more than is justified by the new structure LHMU childcare union activists will be entitled to apply to accelerate the phasing-in of the pay rises at that centre.

  " This is designed to protect parents from price rip-offs, as workers are being required to wait up to 18 months for the wages the Full Bench says they are entitled to be paid," Helen Creed said.

Ms Creed has called on Victorian and ACT parents using child care centres to contact the local union office if they believe there are unusual price movements going on at their local centre.

For further comment:

Helen Creed, LHMU Childcare Union, National President

0403 572 042

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union
Phone:	8204 7206
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au/

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