Victorian Public School Teachers to Stage Rolling Half-Day Strikes in Term Two

Teachers, principals, and support staff across multiple regions will begin rolling half-day strikes in May after pay negotiations with the state government reached a deadlock.

Strike Schedule and Actions

The Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian branch announced that half-day strikes will occur throughout term two, which runs from late April to late June 2026. The action is scheduled to begin in the third week of term, starting Monday, May 4, with morning classes canceled at impacted schools on strike days.

The strikes will be conducted as rolling stoppages, with teachers from multiple schools in specific geographic areas stopping work simultaneously. After the stoppages, educators are expected to converge and rally at the local offices of state Labor MPs.

Planned Regional Actions

• May 6: Teachers in Melbourne's west and northwest regions. Protest at the Niddrie electorate office of Education Minister Ben Carroll.
• May 7: Educators in the Cranbourne, Berwick, and Pakenham area. Protest outside the office of Cranbourne Labor MP Pauline Richards.
• May 12: Teachers from the Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyneton, and Maryborough area. Protest at Premier Jacinta Allan's Bendigo East electorate office.

Additional actions are planned across 28 other school districts throughout May and June.

Work Bans

In addition to the strikes, teachers have implemented bans on:

• Writing comments in school reports
• Attending official meetings
• Implementing new Department of Education programs or initiatives
• Responding to emails from the Department of Education

Unionized principals and deputy principals will also boycott the annual Government Schools Principal Conference at the end of May.

Negotiation Status

Pay negotiations between the AEU and the Victorian government have been ongoing since July 2025, with no final resolution reached.

Union's Position

• Seeking a 35% wage increase over three years for all members.
• Citing that Victorian teachers are currently the lowest-paid public education workforce in Australia.
• AEU Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly stated that the average school employee does 12 hours of unpaid overtime per week.
• Mullaly noted that experienced teachers are set to earn over $15,000 less per year than their New South Wales counterparts by October 2026.

Government's Offers

• Initial offer: 17% pay increase over four years plus a 1.5% overtime allowance (rejected by the union).
• Revised offer (late May 2026): 28% to 32% pay increase over four years, depending on role, plus three additional student-free days per year. This offer was endorsed by AEU leadership but subsequently rejected by a full membership vote.
• Vote outcome (June 23, 2026): Approximately 58% of voting members opposed the deal; 42% supported it.
• Education Minister Ben Carroll's spokesperson stated that negotiations have been "accelerating" and that the department and AEU are meeting more frequently.

"The government wants Victorian teachers to receive a pay rise and supportive conditions." — Premier Jacinta Allan

Statements from Officials

• Premier Jacinta Allan: Stated the government wants Victorian teachers to receive a pay rise and supportive conditions. She said the best way to achieve an outcome is to remain at the negotiating table.
• Education Minister Ben Carroll: Said he is committed to getting a deal for teachers and expressed hope an agreement could be reached soon. He stated the government's offer would bring Victorian teachers to parity with interstate counterparts.
• Industrial Relations Minister Jaclyn Symes: Described talks as "very productive" during a parliamentary inquiry.

Background and Context

Previous Industrial Action

• March 24, 2026: Approximately 35,000 teachers, principals, and education support staff held a full-day statewide strike in Melbourne, the first such strike in 13 years.
• The March strike followed a 98% vote by AEU members in favor of industrial action, which was approved by the Fair Work Commission.

Salary Comparisons

Victoria's public school teacher salaries lag behind other states:

Funding Context

The AEU has cited a $2.4 billion funding shortfall in state school funding after the government delayed its commitment to reach 75% of the national Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) from 2028 to 2031. Members have also raised concerns about teacher shortages, class sizes, and workloads.

Broader Industrial Relations

• Lauriston Girls' School (private): Teachers began industrial action on April 20, 2026, seeking an 18% pay increase over three years. The school's latest offer of 9% over three years was rejected by staff.
• Tasmanian public schools: Teachers held strikes in May 2026 after rejecting a government offer of 3% in year one, 3% in year two, and 2.75% in year three.

Union Membership Trends

• Union membership fell from approximately 48,000 in 2018 to less than 42,000.
• Membership grew to more than 60,000 during the current pay negotiations following a recruitment campaign.
• In late 2024, a group of unionists running on a "strike now" platform received 37% of the vote in internal AEU elections.

Opposition Response

Opposition education spokesman Brad Rowswell criticized the government's handling of negotiations, stating that Labor's approach has led to the threat of further strikes and has consequences for parents, students, and teachers. He said teachers deserve a fair pay rise and urged the government to settle the deal urgently.

Outlook

"Further escalation of industrial action is not ruled out if warranted." — AEU Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly

AEU Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly stated that further escalation of industrial action is not ruled out if warranted. The union's joint primary and secondary council is scheduled to meet to discuss next steps following the rejection of the revised pay offer. A vote on the final agreement is expected in June, with pay rises to begin in the following months if ratified.