After more than 18 months of stalled negotiations for better pay and urgent measures to address unsustainable workloads, early childhood educators (ECEs) last week took action with a Fair Work approved 24-hour statewide stop-work at Victorian kindergarten services. Australian Education Union (AEU) members and supporters held a mass meeting before marching on Parliament, in a push to get an acceptable offer on the table from the Victorian Government.
This was the second stop-work for ECE workers after similar action in September 2025 failed to encourage the Victorian Government to make an acceptable offer to workers.
The importance and value of children receiving a quality early learning experience led by qualified teachers is emphasised by the Victorian Government’s Free Kinder policy to provide every three and four-year-old child with up to fifteen hours per week of subsidised education, with plans to increase that to thirty hours per week. We also know that ECEs are already struggling with increasing and unrelenting high workloads, leading to almost one day of unpaid overtime per week on average. The roll-out of Free Kinder only adds to the burden these critical workers carry to ensure that every child is provided with essential early learning.
The amount of time it has taken for the state government to address AEU members’ claims is fails to reflect the value of kindergarten teachers and educators. An AEU survey in Victoria shows that low pay and mounting workloads are eroding the profession’s appeal, with nearly half of kindergarten teachers and educators considering leaving their jobs.
“You can’t call Victoria the ‘education state’ when almost half of our kinder teachers and educators are thinking about walking away,” said AEU Victorian Branch President Justin Mullaly.
Teachers and educators should be supported, respected and valued. Professional pay and improved working conditions are critical to retaining existing experienced, dedicated ECE staff and to attracting the next generation to the sector.
Congratulations to every AEU member who turned out last week. Your collective action is the strength of your union.
Readers can help support ECE workers, who are some of the most important people in your child’s life, by signing and sharing the Megaphone petition below.
Read more: AEU Vic | 24-hour Statewide Stop Work Early Childhood Educators
Sign the Petition - Respect kindergarten teachers and educators!