The Independent Education Union (IEU) is celebrating Father’s Day and congratulating all fathers who now have access to improved parental leave entitlements.
The celebration follows wins through IEU campaigns and bargaining that have delivered some of the best paid parental leave and flexible work options ever available in schools and early childhood education and care (ECEC) workplaces.
More employers are moving away from outdated assumptions that one parent is the primary carer while the other simply provides support.
These improvements recognise that caring responsibilities are shared and that fathers play a vital role in raising their children.
Challenging outdated workplace culture
Our union recognises the challenges members still face in accessing parental leave without concerns about workplace stigma, career consequences or outdated ideas about who should be providing care at home.
Despite recent progress, workplace culture remains more difficult to change than collective agreement entitlements.
Men account for only around 17% of paid primary carer leave, while taking an overwhelming 96% of short-term ‘secondary carer leave’.
Our union is here to help
IEU Federal Secretary Brad Hayes said many fathers still worry about how taking extended leave will be viewed in their workplace, whether it will affect their career opportunities, or whether colleagues will question their commitment to their careers.
“As teachers, school leaders and support staff, IEU members understand the importance of strong family relationships in a child’s development,” Mr Hayes said.
“Our union knows that children benefit when all parents and carers have the opportunity to be actively involved in their early years.
“Access to paid parental leave should be widely available to everyone. It is a vital and hard-fought workplace right that helps families share caring responsibilities and supports women’s workforce participation.
“It provides fathers with more opportunities to build lasting bonds with their children from the very beginning.”
Mr Hayes said our union’s aim this Father’s Day is to challenge outdated assumptions about caregiving, break down stereotypes, and support IEU members to take the leave they are entitled to.
“That’s something worth fighting for and celebrating this Father’s Day,” Mr Hayes said.
This IEU speaks was also published on the IEU federal website.
