Story: Women’s labour organisations

Early Childhood Workers' Union, 1982

Early Childhood Workers' Union, 1982

Kate Marshall (left), Sonja Davies, Jeannie Truell (holding documentation), Jean Pearson, Helen Cook and Hilary Watson stand proudly with their union registration in 1982. The Early Childhood Workers’ Union was registered in March that year, but the hard work did not end there. Challenged by the Employers’ Federation in court and out, and caught up in a government-imposed wage and price freeze, the union fought for its survival. It took four years to get the first national wages award covering all childcare workers. In 1990, amalgamation with the New Zealand Free Kindergarten Teachers Association resulted in the creation of the Combined Early Childhood Union of Aotearoa.

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How to cite this page:

Megan Cook, 'Women’s labour organisations - Women and unions, 1970s–2020s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/26384/early-childhood-workers-union-1982 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Megan Cook, published 5 May 2011, reviewed & revised 20 Dec 2022