Tens of thousands of teachers in Victoria are preparing to strike after rejecting the government's latest pay offer, citing concerns over working conditions and ongoing staffing shortages. The Australian Education Union's (AEU) Victorian branch announced the strike after a majority of its members voted down a proposed 28.3 percent pay increase over four years.
Under the rejected offer, teachers would have received an additional $1,000 per month by October, rising to nearly $3,000 more per month by 2030. The current salary range for teachers in Victoria is between $78,021 and $126,992, with principals earning up to $236,313. Union members had been seeking a 35 percent pay rise over four years, a figure that has been a point of contention in a dispute that has lasted nearly a year.
AEU Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly stated that educators are demanding a better offer to address critical staffing shortages and resourcing pressures. "The government's done precious little to do anything meaningful to address that and our members are carrying the weight of all the excessive workload," Mullaly said. "The critical thing is that the majority have decided to reject it."
The planned strike is expected to cause disruption for parents and guardians. While the Department of Education has stated that all public schools are anticipated to remain open, many will only be able to provide supervision for a limited number of students. Schools are communicating directly with parents about any changes to regular programs. For instance, Blackburn High School informed parents that classes would be cancelled for all students except Year 7, who are expected to attend in uniform.
Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll expressed disappointment with the union's decision, urging the leadership to call off the strike. "This deal would have made Victorian teachers and education support staff the best paid in the country, together with the best conditions," Carroll said. "I urge the AEU leadership to call off the planned strike, because students should be in classrooms and parents shouldn't be left scrambling for childcare or losing a day's pay."
This upcoming strike follows similar industrial action in March, when over 35,000 teachers and education support staff walked off the job. Teachers also voted down a revised government offer in June, despite the union initially reaching an in-principle agreement. The strike is scheduled to coincide with a rally in Melbourne's CBD.
Some members, like teacher Liz Walsh, who is part of Socialists in Schools, celebrated the rejection of the offer. She noted that teachers have faced falling wages relative to inflation and critical workload levels, leading to many educators leaving the profession. "Thousands of people have quit in despair, but now is our chance to turn the situation around," Walsh said.