Victorian public school teachers will stage another statewide 24‑hour strike next Thursday, escalating their industrial campaign as a bitter dispute with the state government over pay and conditions intensifies.
Members of the Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch voted to take further action on July 23, including stop‑work measures and a ban on unpaid overtime. AEU Victorian president Justin Mullaly said teachers had been left with no choice, arguing that Victoria’s public schools remain the lowest funded in Australia.
“The Allan Labor government is purposefully denying at least $2.4 billion in funding for Victorian public schools,” Mullaly said, accusing the state of failing to meet its obligations to students and staff.
The dispute has been simmering for months. In June, teachers rejected against AEU advice a proposed pay rise of up to 32 per cent. That offer followed a hard‑fought campaign, including the first 24‑hour statewide teacher strike in more than a decade. An in‑principle agreement announced in May would have delivered pay increases of 28 to 32 per cent over four years, along with additional student‑free days.
With negotiations now stalled, Victoria’s top‑flight public education system is operating without a collective bargaining agreement, leaving families bracing for further disruption. A government spokesperson urged the union to return to talks to avoid statewide impacts on students and parents.
As tensions rise, next week’s strike looms as a pivotal moment in a dispute that could reshape the future of public education funding in Victoria.
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