The Victorian Government has made a revised pay offer to public school teachers and education staff in an attempt to prevent a planned 24-hour statewide strike on July 23.
The Victorian Government teacher pay offer guarantees a minimum 28.3% pay increase over four years. The proposal also includes changes to meeting requirements, education support staff pay, and payments for experienced teachers.
The offer follows the rejection of an earlier in-principle agreement by Australian Education Union (AEU) members in June. In that vote, 57.7% of members rejected the proposal.
The government is now urging AEU leadership to put the revised offer to members and call off the planned teacher strike in Victoria.
What Does the New Victorian Government Teacher Pay Offer Include?
The revised pay offer proposal includes:
- A minimum 28.3% pay increase over four years.
- A 12.75% pay increase by October 2026.
- Additional salary increases for experienced teachers.
- Higher pay for education support staff.
- Changes to meeting and workload requirements.
- Four additional professional practice days for planning and preparation.
The Victorian Government says the package would improve pay for teachers, school leaders, education support staff, and other public education workers.
The offer also includes changes to required meeting time. The government says the changes would give staff more time to focus on students and classroom management responsibilities.
Government Urges Union to Call Off Planned Strike
The Allan Labor Government has urged the AEU to put the revised Victorian teacher pay offer to its members and cancel the planned July 23 strike.
The Minister for Education said:
“Labor is making our hardworking teachers, school leaders and education staff the best paid in the country. They’ve earned it. We said we’d listen to our teachers, principals and education support staff and that’s what we’ve done. Teacher, principal and education support staff salaries will rise by at least 28.3 per cent over the next four years. Less time in meetings means more time to focus on students. We urge the AEU Leadership to put this revised offer to their members and call off the planned strike. Students should be in classrooms, and parents shouldn’t be left scrambling.”
The government says the revised offer responds to concerns raised by teachers, principals, and education support staff.
Why Are Victorian Teachers Still Threatening to Strike?
The Victorian teacher strike dispute is not only about pay.
Teachers have raised concerns about:
- Face-to-face teaching hours.
- Administrative workloads.
- After-school meetings.
- Class sizes.
- Unpaid overtime.
- Rising living costs.
The AEU has argued that salary increases alone will not resolve the workload pressures facing teachers and other school staff.
Victorian Teacher Strike Timeline
2025: Enterprise Bargaining Begins
The Victorian Government and employee representatives begin negotiations for a new agreement covering government school employees.
March 24, 2026: Statewide Teacher Strike
More than 35,000 education workers take part in a 24-hour statewide strike across Victoria.
May 2026: In-Principle Agreement Reached
The Victorian Government and union representatives reach an agreement that includes pay increases of between 28.3% and 32.4% over four years.
June 19, 2026: Members Reject the Agreement
AEU members reject the in-principle agreement, with 57.7% of voting members voting against the proposal.
July 2026: Government Makes a Revised Offer
The Victorian Government makes a new offer that guarantees at least a 28.3% pay increase over four years.
The proposal also includes changes to meeting requirements, workload arrangements, and pay for education support staff and experienced teachers.
What Could the AEU Teacher Strike Mean for Students and Parents?
Further strike action could affect school operations across Victoria.
Students and parents may face:
- School closures or reduced services.
- Changes to classroom schedules.
- Disruptions to school activities.
- Uncertainty around future union action.
For now, the Victorian teacher strike dispute remains unresolved as the AEU considers the revised offer and the planned July 23 action approaches.
What Happens Next in the Victorian Teacher Strike Dispute?
The AEU must now consider the government’s revised teacher pay offer as the planned July
23 statewide stoppage approaches.
The union has announced a 24-hour stop-work action and introduced work bans relating to unpaid overtime and some administrative responsibilities.
If the AEU and the Victorian Government reach an agreement, the planned strike could be cancelled. If negotiations fail, Victorian public schools could face further disruption during the school term.
