Victoria’s teachers’ union says school staff have been forced to escalate industrial action from the start of Term 2 after the State Government turned down its demand for a 35% pay increase and improved working conditions.
In March, the Fair Work Commission approved stop work action after 98% of the Australian Education Union’s Victorian Branch members voted in favour, despite the government having made no offer at the time.
Days later, the Allan Government 17% pay proposal was put forward, but the union rejected it, arguing it falls well short of its 35% claim and fails to address workloads, unpaid overtime and chronic staff shortages.
Responding to what it called a “completely unacceptable” offer from the Allan Government, Principals, teachers and support staff across Victoria walked off the job for the first time in 13 years on 24 March.
‘Sick of being overworked and undervalued’
The union says it will now escalate its industrial action by stopping work for a further half-day in Term 2 “on a rolling, region-by-region basis, if their work is not valued properly in pay and conditions negotiations.”
Branch President Justin Mullaly said actions will also include bans on attending meetings, writing comments in school reports, implementing any new Department of Education programs or initiatives, and responding to emails from the Department.
“Public school staff are sick and tired of being overworked and undervalued. They are being taken for granted by the Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll and will raise their voices around Victoria and significantly escalate their industrial action,” Mullaly said.
“The Allan Labor Government – employer of the nation’s lowest paid public school teachers and underpaid education support staff and principals – needs to start respecting public schools and the hardworking people who educate Victoria’s children and young people.”
The union says the $2.4bn cut from Victoria’s public schools means the state now has the lowest funded public schools in the country.
“Right now, every state Labor MP should be ashamed of the fact that they think they can call Victoria ‘the education state’,” Mullaly said.
The union says that by October experienced teachers in Victoria will be earning as much as $15,359 a year ($295 per week) less than their NSW counterparts. This means that a classroom-based education support employee starting out would be 10.5% behind, and a Victorian school principal new to the role would start $27,841 or 18% behind a similar principal in NSW.
A recent survey showed public school staff are doing more than 12 hours’ unpaid overtime per week on average. More than 80% say their workloads have increased due to inadequate support, and only 30% plan to stay working in public schools long term.
“If the [Allan Labor Government] care about public school students and families, and want to properly address chronic staffing shortages, they need to keep experienced school staff in the system and attract the next generation,” Mullaly said.
“They can’t do this by having the lowest funded public schools and the lowest paid staff.”
Minister hopeful a deal can be reached
In a statement today, Victoria’s Education Minister and Deputy Premier, Ben Carroll, said he is committed to getting a deal that gives the state’s teachers nationally competitive wages.
“They are so important to Victoria’s future and I’m urging the union to continue, as they have been, negotiating with faith,” Carroll said.
“We are having accelerated bargaining right now and I am hopeful that we can get a deal with our teachers to give them the nationally competitive wages and conditions they deserve.”
Carroll said he has been holding meetings with the union four times a week and will continue pursuing a “fair and reasonable” deal for teachers.
When asked if he thinks a deal can be reached, Carroll said he is “always optimistic and remains hopeful.”