On Tuesday, over 35,000 Australian Education Union (AEU) members stopped work, rallying in the city to demand better pay and conditions from the Victorian Government.
The sea of red marched from the Victorian Trades Hall Council to the steps of Parliament hearing from a range of speakers calling on the Victorian Government to properly fund schools and pay school staff and that a high-quality public education system, starts with teachers who are supported.
Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations started eight months ago, with the AEU seeking a 35% pay increase over four years, smaller class sizes and improved mental health support. Psychosocial hazards and occupational violence and aggression are some of the top risks for teachers in their working environment.
The government responded with an 17% pay offer after the union pursued strike action but this has been poorly received by members. The offer fails to address unsustainable workloads and the challenges of administration and other work that teachers are required to complete. Instead, it proposes to abolish existing time-in-lieu arrangements and replace them with an annual overtime allowance.
The AEU has flagged further industrial action as bargaining continues to unfold.
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