Key facts
- Victorian teachers will become Australia's highest-paid after accepting a new pay and conditions offer.
- The deal provides pay rises of 28.3% to 32.4% over four years and a $2,000 bonus.
- Experienced teachers' salaries will increase to $151,419 by 2029.
- The agreement includes improved working conditions such as fewer after-school meetings and more student-free days.
- The cost of the deal exceeds $5.4 billion.
- A rank-and-file rebellion within the Australian Education Union influenced the final offer.
Victorian teachers are set to become the highest-paid in Australia following the acceptance of the state government's latest pay and conditions offer, concluding a year-long bargaining process. Australian Education Union (AEU) members voted 79% in favour of the deal on Monday, which includes total pay rises of between 28.3% and 32.4% over four years, a $2,000 bonus, and improved working conditions. A planned strike for Wednesday has been cancelled.
Under the new agreement, early-career teachers will see their pay increase by $12,343 by October 2026, matching their New South Wales counterparts. By 2029, an experienced teacher's salary will rise from $118,063 to $151,419, including a $15,393 increase in 2026 that will place them ahead of NSW teachers. The deal also secures existing maximum teaching hour limits and introduces four professional practice days and eight student-free days annually from 2027.
Premier Ben Carroll, who recently took over leadership and previously served as Education Minister, highlighted the agreement as a recognition of the vital work done by teachers, principals, and education support staff. He stated that this makes Victorian teachers the best paid in Australia with the best conditions. The resolution of the dispute is seen as a political win for Carroll, particularly with the Victorian election approaching.
The financial implications of the deal are significant, with the total cost exceeding $5.4 billion, and the latest offer adding an extra $700 million. Some government sources suggest this may impact the state's surplus. Carroll has also committed to increasing school funding to meet federal Gonski standards, which could incur further costs.
Within the AEU, the outcome was shaped by a rank-and-file rebellion, with groups like Socialists in Schools arguing that the union leadership had previously compromised too readily. These groups capitalized on teacher frustration over past agreements, such as the 2022 deal that offered an 8% rise over four years, which led to a significant decrease in real pay. This time, members were less inclined to accept union advice without question, leading to substantial strike action, including a major mobilization on March 24. Despite multiple offers being rejected by the membership, the latest proposal under Premier Carroll secured approval.
AEU Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly emphasized that the gains were won through the direct efforts of union members. Liz Walsh from Socialists in Schools noted that the nurses' successful rejection of an initial offer and subsequent improved deal served as a model, demonstrating that members could achieve better outcomes by pushing back. Walsh stated that her group respects the ballot result and will continue advocating for improvements, including full Gonski funding, and that 13 Victorian Socialists candidates will run in the upcoming election.