Thousands of public school students in Victoria and Tasmania are being told to stay home today amid planned strike action.
Teachers in both states will stop work following stalled negotiations over better pay and working conditions.
The Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union (AEU) estimates more than 30,000 teachers and principals will go on strike for 24 hours on Tuesday.
Strikes in Tasmania will be staggered across the state over three days.
Victoria
The Victorian teachers‘ union has been locked in negotiations with the State Government since mid-2025.
It rejected the Government’s most recent offer of an 18.5% pay increase over four years. The union is demanding a 35% increase, and measures to address workload and staffing concerns.
In the absence of a “fair and decent” offer, AEU Victoria said its teachers, principals, and support staff have been forced to strike “for the first time in over 13 years”.
Tens of thousands of Victorian public school teachers, principals, and education support staff will stop work for 24 hours on Tuesday.
Your contribution ensures The Daily Aus can continue doing the work you love.
I want to give $10 monthly to help TDA keep doing the news.
Your details:
The union said 98% of its 50,000 members endorse the strike, but that the decision was not “taken lightly, and we keenly understand the impact this can have on parents.”
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has urged the union to cancel the action and return to the negotiating table.
“A deal can be done here. We want to stay there at the table, to continue those negotiations but they’ve walked away,” she said.
Tasmania
Tasmanian teachers will also strike this week, with three days of staggered action commencing on Tuesday.
Teachers in the state’s north will be the first to strike, before work stoppages in southern Tasmania on Thursday.
“In the absence of an offer that adequately addresses the significant issues facing education, members feel they have been left no alternative but to take unprecedented action,” AEU’s Tasmanian branch said.
It comes amid widespread public sector strikes in the state over recent months.
