Wattle Early Childhood Centre director Ashleigh Daly said the timing symbolised the part of the day women in early education effectively began to work for free in comparison to the men in that and similar industries.

"The government really needs to realise that [early education is] just as important as going into primary education," Ms Daly said.

Ms Daly said parents who use the centre had been notified and had expressed support as the majority agreed to collect their children at 3:15pm on the day.

Some staff would stay to look after the children of parents unable to pick up their kids early.

"It's just unfortunate some of these families indicated they're in similar industry and can't walk off the job," Ms Daly said.

She pointed to Senator David Leyonhjelm's description of childcare work as "wiping noses and stopping the kids from killing each other".

"There's so much more to it than that. We obviously still need to raise awareness," Ms Daly said.

Julia Ware, a early childhood educator at YWCA Campbell Cottage, said while Mr Leyonhjelm's comments were offensive, people had come out to support childcare workers in response.

"It's really about being recognised as professionals, it's about the pay, but its's also about early childhood education being recognised as a career," Ms Ware said.

Ms Ware said Campbell Cottage will completely shut on Wednesday afternoon with staff taking part in a march up Commonwealth Avenue.

United Voice ACT Branch Secretary Lyndal Ryan said the union was pushing for a 30 per cent increase in pay subsidised by the territory and federal government.

"The ACT government could help by making a submission to the Fair Work Commission," Ms Ryan said and added politicians should imagine a world without early childhood education, an industry comprised 97 per cent by women.

"Then you understand the value of the contribution women are making at the expense of their own families, at the expense of their own future."