ACT public school teachers and support staff have announced a full-day strike on 11 June, escalating industrial action after 22 May marked the first stop work action by Canberra public educators in 15 years.
Schools across the ACT were closed between 8.30am and 10.30am last Friday as members of the Australian Education Union (AEU) ACT branch gathered to demand improved conditions, staffing and greater support for public education.
The union said the action marked a significant moment not only for teachers, but also for school assistants, who joined the industrial action for the first time in the ACT branch’s history.
In a social media post following the morning stoppage, the AEU confirmed members would now move to a full-day strike on Thursday 11 June.
It comes after Victorian teachers reached a historic pay in-principle agreement with their state government earlier in May that would see them reportedly become the country’s highest paid educators. This followed a full-day strike on 24 March – the first time in more than 13 years that Victorian public school staff took this step.
Commenting on the plight of ACT teachers, the AEU said: “Our students deserve better. We deserve better. Together, we are demanding better.”
The union said growing workloads and increasing class sizes were placing mounting pressure on ACT schools, with teachers, school assistants, leaders and psychologists working harder to absorb the strain across the system.
Educators say the growing demands are reducing the time available for individual student support, despite staff working collaboratively to meet the increasing needs of students and school communities.
The planned 11 June strike is expected to affect public schools across Canberra, with further details to be provided to families closer to the date.
