CHILDCARE AND TRADE UNIONS IN THE UK

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CHILDCARE AND TRADE UNIONS IN THE UK

• Ben Thomas
• National Officer
• Education and Childrens Services Unit

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Background

• History of Childcare in UK
• Private or Personal Provision
• Voluntary Sector
• Paid for by parents
• Not the responsibility of government

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Who are the providers of Childcare?

• Private Sector 60
• Voluntary Sector 20
• Public Sector 20

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Who are the Providers of Childcare?

• England Providers Places
• Childminders 64,000 298,000
• Full Day-care 14,000 622,000
• Sessional Day-care 8,474 210,000
• Out of School Care 10,701 369,000
• Crèches 2,778 47,000
• Total 100,886 1,549,100

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The Childcare Workforce

• Total Childcare Workforce 280,000
• Percentage Women 98
• Average Age 35
• Degree Qualification 5

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Pay

• Average Pay (2005)
• Childcare 5.73 p/h (6.88)
• Nurse 9.69 p/h (12.11)
• Teacher 15.63 p/h (19.54)
• DTI inspection in 2005 found that 1/3 of private
  nurseries not implementing minimum wage.

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Challenges for unions

• Number of providers
• Private sector hostility
• High turnover
• Part time
• Young Staff
• Low pay
• Union Structures
• History

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Opportunities for Unions

• Growth of Childrens Centres
• Increasing professionalism
• Increased regulation
• Government Policy
• Consolidation in private sector

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UNISON in Childcare

• 44,000 Members
• Mainly in maintained sector
• Higher Quality
• Better Qualified
• Higher paid

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Scottish Nursery Nurse Dispute 2004

• 5,000 Members
• National Claim for re-grading across 32
  authorities
• Average Wage in 2004 13,000

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Outcomes

• Up to 14 weeks continuous industrial action
• Not all aims met. No agreement to national
  grades.
• Substantial increases in most authorities. (Up to
  6,000 in some authorities)
• Increased membership and union awareness
• Community Campaigning

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Details

• www.unison.co.uk
• b.thomas_at_unison.co.uk
• UNISON
• 1 Mabledon Place
• London
• WC1H 9AJ
• UK