A protracted pay dispute between the Victorian state government and the Australian Education Union (AEU) has led to a series of rolling half-day strikes by public school teachers, principals, and education support staff. The industrial action, scheduled to begin in May and continue through June, follows the rejection of multiple government pay offers and a major statewide strike in March.
Background of the Dispute
Negotiations for a new enterprise bargaining agreement began in July 2025. The AEU, representing approximately 80,000 members, sought a 35% wage increase over three to four years. The union stated that Victorian public school teachers were the lowest-paid in the country.
The Victorian government initially offered a 17% pay rise over four years, which the union rejected. In April 2026, the government presented a revised proposal of a 28% to 32% pay increase over four years, depending on the role, along with additional student-free days. The AEU’s leadership endorsed this offer, but it was subsequently put to a vote of the membership.
On an unspecified date, the AEU announced that members had voted against the proposed agreement. According to the union, 57.7% of voting members opposed the deal, while 42.3% supported it. Following the rejection, the government did not present a new formal offer, leading the union to announce further industrial action.
Previous Industrial Action
On March 24, 2026, approximately 35,000 teachers, principals, and support staff participated in a full-day statewide strike, the first such action in 13 years. Victoria Police estimated a similar number of attendees at a protest march in Melbourne’s central business district. The strike resulted in school closures and reduced operations at hundreds of schools.
Planned Rolling Strikes
The AEU announced that half-day rolling strikes would occur throughout term two (late April to late June), beginning in the third week of term on May 4. The action will affect different school districts on different days.
"Teachers from multiple schools in a geographic area will stop work simultaneously and rally at the local offices of state Labor Party members."
- May 6: Strikes in Melbourne’s west and northwest regions, with a protest at the Niddrie electorate office of Education Minister Ben Carroll.
- May 7: Strikes in the Cranbourne, Berwick, and Pakenham area, with a protest outside the office of Cranbourne Labor MP Pauline Richards.
- May 12: Strikes in the Bendigo, Castlemaine, Kyneton, and Maryborough area, with a protest at Premier Jacinta Allan’s Bendigo East electorate office.
- Additional strikes across 28 other districts are planned throughout May and June.
On strike days, morning classes at affected schools are canceled.
Work Bans
In addition to the strikes, union members will impose the following work bans:
- Refusing to write comments on school report cards
- Not attending official meetings
- Not implementing new Department of Education programs or initiatives
- Not 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.
Statements from Involved Parties
Justin Mullaly, AEU Victorian branch president, stated that the industrial action was a response to the government’s failure to present a new offer. He characterized the March strike as demonstrating member resolve and indicated that further escalation is possible.
Premier Jacinta Allan stated that the government wants teachers to receive a pay rise and supportive conditions. She said the best way to achieve this is to continue negotiating.
Education Minister Ben Carroll’s spokesperson stated that negotiations are "accelerating" and that the department and union are meeting more frequently. The spokesperson urged the union to keep students in the classroom.
Opposition education spokesman Brad Rowswell stated that the government’s handling of negotiations has led to the threat of further strikes, which has consequences for parents, students, and teachers.
Parallel Dispute at Independent School
Separately, teachers at Lauriston Girls’ School, a private school in Armadale, Melbourne, commenced industrial action on April 20, 2026. The Independent Education Union (IEU) is seeking an 18% pay increase over three years. The school’s latest offer of 9% over three years was rejected by staff. The school principal, Sabine Partington, stated that staff are among the highest paid in the independent sector and expressed confidence in reaching an agreement through continued negotiations.
Industrial Action in Tasmania
Public school teachers in Tasmania also conducted strikes over pay and conditions in a related but separate dispute. Schools in the north-west, north, and south of the state were closed on consecutive days. The AEU Tasmania branch rejected a government offer of 3%, 3%, and 2.75% pay increases over three years, citing concerns over a clause regarding workforce sizing and unresolved workload issues.