Had cut ‘nappy’ subsidy
CHANGING a dirty nappy is not a job for the faint-hearted and in recognition of that fact, a proposed change to an allowance for childcare workers employed by Cumberland Council, was reversed last week.
Cumberland director, people and performance, Melissa Attia says under the existing award, childcare staff are eligible for what is known as a ‘nappy allowance’ for the “adverse” duty of changing nappies but the council was paying it for every hour they worked.
She said recent changes to cut back the allowance so it was calculated to cover two hours out of an eight-hour working day, and pro rata for part-time staff, were made because it was “more in keeping” with award requirements.
“Clearly somebody doesn’t change nappies eight hours a day,” she said.
Ms Attia told councillors that implementing the change would save an estimated $61,000 a year, although she acknowledged that the figure was dependent on staffing levels and how many children requiring nappies used the service at any given time.
However Mayor Steve Christou said the proposed budget saving measure was “going too far”, adding that he was “mortified” when a resident told him how the allowance was being scaled back.
“Our child care workers carry a very important responsibility,” he said.
“Reducing their nappy allowance is not the answer to fixing Cumberland’s overall budget problems.
“I believe that the payment of the nappy allowance should be reinstated for these hardworking staff providing a service to Cumberland’s working parents.”
The Ccouncil runs eight long day care centres within its borders and Cr Christou’s call to reinstate the payment was unanimously supported by councillors.
