ACT public school teachers are set to walk off the job on Friday in a bid to secure a better pay deal from the territory government. The strike, organised by the Australian Education Union (AEU), will see teachers from across Canberra's public schools rally outside the Legislative Assembly.
Pay dispute escalates
The industrial action comes after months of negotiations between the union and the ACT government failed to reach a satisfactory agreement. The AEU has been pushing for a pay rise of 12% over three years, while the government's latest offer stands at 10.5% over the same period.
AEU ACT branch president Angela Burroughs said the strike was a last resort, but teachers felt they had no other option. "Our members are fed up with being undervalued," she said. "We have seen class sizes grow, workloads increase, and real wages fall behind."
Government response
ACT Education Minister Yvette Berry expressed disappointment with the strike action, stating that the government had made a "fair and reasonable" offer. "We value our teachers and have put forward a strong pay proposal that rewards them while ensuring we can continue to invest in other areas of education," she said.
Berry added that the government remains open to further negotiations and hopes to avoid prolonged disruption to students' learning.
Impact on students and parents
The strike is expected to affect thousands of students across the ACT. Many schools have advised parents to make alternative arrangements for their children on Friday. Some schools will remain open with minimal supervision, but regular classes will not run.
Parent groups have expressed mixed reactions. Some support the teachers' demands for better pay, while others are concerned about the disruption to their children's education.
Broader context
The ACT teachers' strike is part of a wider trend across Australia, where educators in several states have taken industrial action over pay and conditions. In New South Wales, teachers held a strike earlier this year, and in Victoria, teachers have been engaged in prolonged bargaining.
The union argues that teacher salaries in the ACT have not kept pace with inflation or comparable professions, leading to recruitment and retention challenges. The government counters that its offer is competitive and sustainable within the territory's budget constraints.
Talks are expected to resume next week, but the strike on Friday signals a deepening of the dispute. Both sides have indicated they are willing to continue negotiations, but the gap between their positions remains significant.
