Victorian public school teachers, education support staff and principals have escalated their industrial campaign amid claims the state government is opposing their right to vote on protected industrial action.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch confirmed it has applied to the Fair Work Commission to conduct a ballot of members to endorse protected industrial action, including stopping work, after months of stalled negotiations over pay and conditions.
However, the Victorian Government, as the employer of public school staff, has opposed the application – a move the union has labelled a “shameful anti-union” act.
AEU Victorian Branch President Mr Justin Mullally said the government had failed to come to the table with a formal wages and conditions offer despite seven months of negotiations.
“This is a shameful anti-union move from the government which has already denied public schools $2.4 billion in funding through to 2031,” Mr Mullally said.
He said public school staff were being “taken for granted and disrespected”, pointing to excessive workloads and growing wage disparities between Victoria and other states.
According to the AEU, by October 2026 Victorian teachers will earn up to $15,359 a year – or $295 per week – less than their counterparts in New South Wales. Classroom-based education support staff starting out would be 10.5 per cent behind interstate equivalents, while new Victorian principals would begin on salaries up to $27,841, or 18 per cent, lower.
Mr Mullally also highlighted workload pressures, with Victorian public school staff working an average of 12 hours of unpaid overtime each week.
The current industrial agreement expired last year, with negotiations ongoing since August 2025 without a formal offer from the government.
“We have been negotiating in good faith with Premier Allan’s government for six months,” Mr Mullally said.
“Their failure to come to the table with an offer on wages and key conditions is bad enough, but to deny public school staff the chance to have their voices heard through voting to endorse protected industrial action is unacceptable – and not what any government should do.”
The union says staff are entering the 2026 school year with schools underfunded, workloads increasing and morale deteriorating – factors it argues are contributing to Victoria’s chronic teacher shortage.
“Public school staff are going into this new school year under-appreciated and under-resourced,” Mr Mullally said. “No wonder there is a growing crisis in attracting and retaining teachers.”
The Fair Work Commission is expected to consider the AEU’s application for a protected action ballot in the coming weeks.
