Families could encounter further disruption over the coming weeks and months if a pay dispute between teachers and the state government continues.
That warning comes from the Australian Education Union (AEU) and follows a 24-hour strike by their members locally and right across Victoria on Thursday, July 23rd.
In an open letter published by The Age and Herald Sun newspapers today (July 24th), the Union’s Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly said they had been “forced” to take industrial action due to our public schools being “the lowest funded in Australia”.
“We know this is disruptive, and we don’t take this action lightly,” his letter reads.
“Instead of putting our schools on a pathway to full funding like they promised, in 2024 Premier Jacinta Allan and her government cut $2.4 billion from our public schools.
“To ensure that your children – our students – can access high-quality teaching and learning programs and wellbeing support, public school staff have gone above and beyond to make up for this shortfall.
“Staff in public schools work an average of 12 hours unpaid overtime every week, giving up their evenings and weekends to provide for students where the Allan Labor Government won’t.
“This is made all the worse because of the ongoing shortage of teachers, with just three in 10 saying they plan to remain working in public schools until retirement.”
The letter and threat of further industrial action comes on the same week that Union members narrowly rejected the government’s latest pay and conditions offer.
51.1 percent voted against the proposal in an online ballot that closed on Tuesday.
That deal would have seen wages increase by at least 28.3 percent over four years, and the number of required meeting hours for staff halved from 80 to 40 per year.
Meantime, Deputy Premier and Education Minister Ben Carroll has described Thursday’s strike as “disappointing”.
“The best way to recognise the work of our teachers and education support staff is good pay and conditions,” Mr Carroll said in a statement.
“The current offer will make Victorian teachers and education support staff the best paid in the country together with the best conditions.
“This was a close vote and my door is always open to continue working with the AEU leadership to resolve this matter.”
