The role of the Australian Education Union Victoria in supporting early childhood educators during a global pandemic: tensions, challenges and opportunities for the profession

In Australia the COVID-19 global pandemic has had an impact on early childhood education and care. In particular, there has been significant stress and anxiety of early childhood educators as they continue to educate and care for young children at a time when concern over transmission of the virus was paramount. In Victoria, the impact has been great with the state experiencing a second wave and consequently two lockdowns. This chapter draws on data from the Facebook group Australian Education Union Victoria Early Childhood Educational Leaders administered by the union’s Early Childhood President. In this chapter, we present our analysis of the data to highlight the role of the union in supporting the profession by mediating press releases by the Department of Education outlining COVID-19 measures. We show how the union was pivotal in advocacy work by monitoring and supporting morale at a time when stress and anxiety were ever-present. In conclusion, we argue that the role of unions has always been vital for the profession, and it has taken a global pandemic to once again raise their prominence and importance thus putting to the test critics who would argue unions only stand in the way of education reform.