Arabic version: المعلمون في فيكتوريا يوقفون الإضرابات مع تقدم مفاوضات الأجور
Victorian teachers have suspended planned half-day strikes set for this week as negotiations with the state government regarding a new pay deal continue. According to ABC News, the Australian Education Union (AEU) announced that recent developments in talks prompted the decision to halt the strikes for two weeks.
The union had previously organized a 24-hour strike in March, marking the first significant industrial action in 13 years, with about 35,000 teachers, principals, and education support staff participating. Teachers are advocating for a 35 percent pay rise over four years to align their salaries with those of public education workers in New South Wales.
Although the half-day strikes have been called off, other work bans remain in effect. These include refusing to provide written comments on student reports and prohibiting state Labor MPs from visiting schools. AEU President Justin Mullaly emphasized that suspending the strikes would facilitate more intensive negotiations to reach a favorable agreement.
Education Minister Ben Carroll recently denied claims that the government had offered a 28 percent pay rise, a figure that the union also stated had not been presented in negotiations. Premier Jacinta Allan welcomed the suspension, noting it reflects the progress made in negotiations and the government’s commitment to providing teachers with a pay rise in line with nationally-consistent settings.
