School strike to go ahead as teachers reject pay offer

Victorian school staff have voted overwhelmingly to reject the state government’s latest pay offer, clearing the way for a statewide mass walkout on Thursday. The Australian Education Union (AEU) confirmed that teachers, principals and education support workers voted against the proposed 28.3 per cent pay rise over four years during an online ballot that concluded at 1pm Tuesday. The rejection sets the stage for the second major strike this year, as union leaders warn of further industrial action if a satisfactory deal is not reached by the end of July.

Union mobilises for mass walkout

AEU branch councillor Lucy Honan said teachers would be out on the streets “bigger than ever” on Thursday, aiming to force the Labor government back to the negotiating table. Honan, a prominent left-faction unionist, accused Education Minister Ben Carroll of inflaming the workforce with what Carroll himself called a “watershed offer”. “Ben Carroll called it a watershed offer, but we could all see it was a leaky tap,” Honan said. “His mucking around is inflaming the workforce.” The union’s left faction is pushing for further strikes in early August if no improved offer is made by July 30. Honan added: “We’re giving him until July 30 to make an offer that satisfies our core demands, or there will be another strike on August 4.”

Context of the dispute

The latest walkout follows a large-scale strike in March, when around 35,000 educators marched through Melbourne’s streets. Since then, union members have escalated industrial action at the start of term 3, including a ban on state Labor MPs visiting public schools and a moratorium on implementing new government programs. The rejected pay deal would have marked a significant step toward resolving a long-running funding dispute between the state and federal governments. An acceptance would have allowed Minister Carroll to sign a long-awaited funding agreement with the Commonwealth, bringing Victorian schools up to the minimum funding standard — a much-needed political win for a Labor government trailing in the polls.

Political stakes

The impasse presents a growing political headache for Premier Jacinta Allan’s government, already under pressure over education funding and other policy areas. The state’s public schools have been chronically underfunded for years, and the failure to reach a pay deal with teachers delays the injection of billions in federal money. With an election looming, the government had hoped to seal the Commonwealth agreement as a signature achievement. Instead, it faces further disruption and negative headlines. The Education Department and Minister Carroll have been contacted for comment but have not yet responded.

What happens next

Thursday’s strike will likely involve tens of thousands of educators across Victoria, closing many schools and disrupting learning for hundreds of thousands of students. The union has set July 30 as a deadline for a revised offer. If Minister Carroll fails to meet union demands, another strike is planned for August 4. The AEU’s left faction is pushing for an even harder line, raising the prospect of sustained industrial action that could stretch into the final term of the school year. All eyes are now on the government to see whether it will sweeten its proposal or brace for a protracted battle with the state’s teachers.