Victoria’s public school teachers, principals, and education support staff have voted overwhelmingly to accept a pay and conditions agreement. The deal brings to a close more than a year of industrial conflict and cancels a third statewide strike scheduled for Wednesday 19 August.
The Australian Education Union (AEU) announced on Monday that 79% of union members voted in favour of the Victorian government’s offer. The result endorses pay rises of between 28.3% and 32.4% over four years, along with a $2,000 lump sum payment at the start of the agreement.
The result marks a significant shift from June. More than 60,000 Victorian public school teachers, principals and education support staff voted down an earlier version of the same pay structure. It was the first time in more than 40 years that members had rejected a deal endorsed by the AEU.
What the agreement delivers
Under the new enterprise agreement, an experienced teacher’s salary will rise from $118,063 to $151,419 by 2029.
Key details of the agreement include:
- A minimum 13.04% increase for all teachers in 2026, with further annual rises of between 4% and 4.9% through to 2029
- Early career teachers will receive a pay increase of $12,343 by October 2026, bringing their salaries into line with New South Wales counterparts
- Education support staff – including classroom aides, business managers, administrative staff, and those supporting students with disability – will receive a minimum 28.3% increase over four years
- Principals and assistant principals will receive the same 28.3% rise over the same period
- Mandatory meetings will be reduced, and four professional practice days introduced each year
AEU Victorian Branch president Justin Mullaly congratulated union members for securing the deal. He said it delivers real pay increases, real improvements to conditions, and a commitment from the state government to deliver full funding for public schools.
“This outcome has been won through the direct efforts of AEU members, who demanded pay and conditions that reflect the value and importance of their work in Victorian public schools,” Mullaly said.
A dispute that disrupted thousands of students
The deal resolves a dispute that stretched across three terms and produced two statewide strikes.
On 24 March 2026, more than 35,000 educators walked off the job in the first statewide strike in Victoria in 13 years. Around 500 government schools were either fully closed or operating at limited capacity.
A second strike followed on 23 July 2026. It again forced the closure of hundreds of schools, with more than 30,000 educators, parents and students rallying across Melbourne and in regional centres including Wodonga, Mildura and Sale.
The escalating row over Victorian teachers’ pay and conditions had deepened through mid-year. The union reinstated industrial bans and threatened further action if the government failed to move on workloads and funding.
The cancellation of Wednesday’s planned strike spares students, parents, and school leaders from another round of last-minute closures and disruption.
Workload remained a core sticking point throughout the dispute. When school staff voted to reject the earlier pay offer in June, the AEU cited excessive hours and inadequate resourcing as the primary reasons.
Long-term stakes for the profession
The agreement carries implications beyond Victoria. Pay parity with New South Wales – a benchmark the union had made central to its public campaign – positions Victorian teachers competitively for the first time in years.
The reduction in mandatory meetings and the introduction of professional practice days are modest structural changes. But they signal a shift in how the state government frames teacher time and professional autonomy.
The agreement will now proceed to a ballot of all employees under the Fair Work Act. The Victorian government is also expected to formalise its commitment to full federal funding – a pledge Mullaly flagged as unfinished business even as the vote result was announced.
Victoria’s public schools had faced ongoing pay and workforce challenges that contributed to teacher shortages across the state. More than 1,000 vacancies recorded on average each day during 2025.
The vote result, backed by 83% of participating members, represents the clearest mandate the union has received across the entire bargaining period.