The Childcare Centre Providers Association (CCPA) have announced an industrial dispute with the government after discussions on an agreement between the two dragged on for too long.

The contract with the government expired in 2016, and was given a temporary extension in May 2017, with a slight increase in the rate per hour, the association said.

However, a new contract, which was supposed to be finalised in November 2017, was nowhere near complete, the CCPA lamented.

Childcare centre providers want a substantial rise in the wage for the rate per hour. However, association president Simon Zammit said the government and the association were nowhere near discussing pay rises.

“The discussion is far from having the momentum it needs,” Malta Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises (GRTU) CEO Abigail Mamo added.

The increase in rate per hour was needed to help providers reach European standards of child care, Mr Zammit insisted.

The CCPA and GRTU are considering industrial action if the matter is not resolved. “It will not happen immediately, but if the issue is not settled then it leaves us with no choice,” Mrs Mamo said.

The government initially wanted an independent study on the child care centres, “which took ages to start”, she said. Then, the government insisted the study was inconclusive and asked the CCPA for evidence that the providers needed a rise in wages. The constant back and forth between the two stakeholders “caused a lot of useless delays”, Ms Mamo insisted.

The CCPA provided clear evidence of an increase in 60 per cent in costs, but the agreement, which was supposed to be finalised in November last year, was nowhere near being finalised.

Salaries, rental prices, costs in operations, have skyrocketed since the 2016 contract ended, child care centre providers lamented with the Times of Malta.
Child care centre providers offer an essential service to the community since they give mothers the opportunity to get back to work, Ms Mamo added.

The CCPA represents 80 per cent of operators who take care of child care centres.

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