New Zealand Educational Institute Otago field officer Paula Reynolds said kindergarten and primary school teachers had the same skills, qualifications and responsibilities as ECE teachers, yet were paid between 10% and 40% more.
"Recently, kindergarten teachers in the sector maintained their pay parity with primary teachers, which widens the gap of other teachers in the sector having different pay and conditions.
"So essentially, same job, same skills, same qualifications, but different pay.
"That's not OK.
"We believe every teacher is worth it, and that the Government needs to act now to fix the gap."
She said the union would run a campaign next week called ECEVoice, which aimed to highlight the issue.
"It's about valuing early childhood teachers and asking the Government to follow through on its promise of restoring 100% funding to the sector after 10 years of underfunding.
"The sector is in a major crisis."
The campaign includes a week-long list of activities and events across the country - from public meetings, to singing waiata and inviting local politicians to discuss the situation.
She said the week was about showing strength in numbers and getting together to make a difference.
This Sunday NZEI members will be talking to the community about the pay gap outside the Meridian Mall, in Dunedin, and rallying support for the Government to further invest in the sector.
From Monday to Thursday, early childhood education services around Otago will do their own in-centre activities to highlight the issue among families.
And on Friday at 11am, all early childhood education teachers will join their pupils in singing Etu Kahikatea.
Also on Friday, Health Minister Dr David Clark will visit the Dunedin Hospital Childcare Centre at 2.20pm to meet teachers from ECE services across the region and discuss ways to attract and keep registered teachers, pay them fairly and fund the sector fairly.
