Latest news with #JustinMullaly
Sydney Morning Herald
30-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
State school teachers demand 35 per cent pay rise, smaller classes, reduced workload
The state's 52,000 government school teachers have demanded pay rises totalling 35 per cent over three years, reduced workloads, smaller classes and more mental health support. In its log of claims for a new enterprise agreement covering 1570 schools across the state, the Australian Education Union wants a 15 per cent pay boost in the first year of a new deal followed by 10 per cent in each of the second and third years. The increases would be based on the initial salary figure, and not compounded each year. In addition to the large wage rise, the teachers want smaller class sizes, more allied health and classroom support for students, more flexible working options, workload reductions and lower administrative burdens. Rank-and-file teachers and principals are in a mutinous mood after years of underfunding to government schools, a workforce crisis and a pay deal three years ago that delivered annual pay rises of 2 per cent, just as the cost-of-living crisis began to bite. They remain the nation's lowest-paid state education workforce with Victorian graduate teachers earning $13,000 less than the best-paid graduates in the Northern Territory and $8700 less than those in NSW. A group of unionists running on a 'strike now' ticket pulled in 37 per cent of the vote in internal elections late last year, and the union's state branch president Justin Mullaly told The Age in April that strike action was not off the table as part of teachers' campaign for better pay. Several hundred unionised teachers rallied at the electorate office of Education Minister Ben Carroll in Melbourne's north-west last month to voice their determination to fight for more money and better conditions. But the state's capacity to pay may be in doubt, with Treasury grappling with debts set to hit $167 billion this year and the government looking to cut 1200 jobs in a bid to save $3 billion. The government also secretly stripped $2.4 billion from future school spending by delaying by some years, money due to be spent under the long-promised Gonski reforms.
The Age
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
State school teachers demand 35 per cent pay rise, smaller classes, reduced workload
The state's 52,000 government school teachers have demanded pay rises totalling 35 per cent over three years, reduced workloads, smaller classes and more mental health support. In its log of claims for a new enterprise agreement covering 1570 schools across the state, the Australian Education Union wants a 15 per cent pay boost in the first year of a new deal followed by 10 per cent in each of the second and third years. The increases would be based on the initial salary figure, and not compounded each year. In addition to the large wage rise, the teachers want smaller class sizes, more allied health and classroom support for students, more flexible working options, workload reductions and lower administrative burdens. Rank-and-file teachers and principals are in a mutinous mood after years of underfunding to government schools, a workforce crisis and a pay deal three years ago that delivered annual pay rises of 2 per cent, just as the cost-of-living crisis began to bite. They remain the nation's lowest-paid state education workforce with Victorian graduate teachers earning $13,000 less than the best-paid graduates in the Northern Territory and $8700 less than those in NSW. A group of unionists running on a 'strike now' ticket pulled in 37 per cent of the vote in internal elections late last year, and the union's state branch president Justin Mullaly told The Age in April that strike action was not off the table as part of teachers' campaign for better pay. Several hundred unionised teachers rallied at the electorate office of Education Minister Ben Carroll in Melbourne's north-west last month to voice their determination to fight for more money and better conditions. But the state's capacity to pay may be in doubt, with Treasury grappling with debts set to hit $167 billion this year and the government looking to cut 1200 jobs in a bid to save $3 billion. The government also secretly stripped $2.4 billion from future school spending by delaying by some years, money due to be spent under the long-promised Gonski reforms.
ABC News
31-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Victorian teachers plan to escalate their fight for more government funding of state schools
Victorian teachers are considering mass rallies targeting the premier, education minister and treasurer in response to what they say is massive underfunding of public schools. Earlier this month, Nine newspapers claimed the government had ripped $2.4 billion from school budgets by delaying its commitment to the Gonski education reforms by three years. The Age reported the savings were signed off by the premier. Jacinta Allan denied her government had withdrawn from its Gonski funding commitment. The Australian Education Union Victorian branch has written to all state school teachers outlining plans to escalate their campaign for better funding, including asking parents to join in mass emails to Ms Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll, as well as public rallies. Branch president Justin Mullaly said those rallies would be outside school hours and would target the offices of Ms Allan and Mr Carroll, as well as Treasurer Jaclyn Symes. "The government has been duplicitous," Mr Mullaly said. "On the one hand they say that they are promoting the education state and that they're going to fully fund public schools, yet they're not actually planning at all on delivering the money for that." Mr Mullaly said the rallies would also target other senior MPs, but no dates had been set for the action. "We don't do this lightly; we don't engage in activities like this just at the drop of a hat," he said. "This is in response to a complete failure of the state government to deliver the funding the students in our schools need and to provide the resources that teachers, principals and education staff support need." The government said Victoria signed an agreement with the federal government in January that would secure 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) for Victorian government schools by 2034. "Our priority is — and has always been — that every child, no matter where they live, has access to a world-class education for free in a Victorian government school backed by full and fair funding," Mr Carroll said. He said the state government would provide 75 per cent of the SRS, which would see increased funding in stages during the term of the agreement. "The Victorian government is currently finalising these discussions with the Commonwealth," Mr Carroll said. "I will not be negotiating with the Commonwealth through the media."
Sydney Morning Herald
12-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Teachers on collision course with state government over school funding
A showdown is looming between Victorian teachers and the Allan government over school funding after the education union described a decision to delay money needed to deliver the Gonski reforms by three years as a 'disaster for public school staff and students'. Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly said the revelation the Allan government had secretly delayed its commitment from 2028 to 2031 and, in the process, stripped $2.4 billion out of public schools, underscored the widening gap in teacher pay and staffing levels between Victoria and other states. 'We are the lowest-funded schools in the country, and we are the lowest-paid teachers in the country,' Mullaly said. 'Victoria has to be well and truly on the way to getting to that original commitment by 2028. 'Otherwise, it just won't happen. That is going to be a disaster for public school staff and students.' Victoria previously had a publicly stated target of fully funding its share of the Gonski school funding reforms by 2028. This requires the state to provide government schools 75 per cent of the total funding they are allocated under a needs-based model knows as the Schooling Resource Standard. The federal government has agreed to provide the remaining 25 per cent once the states reach this benchmark. Confidential documents seen by this masthead show that in March 2024, in the lead-up to last year's state budget, the Victorian government abandoned its commitment and, under a revised timeline, won't fully fund public schools until 2031. This means that, between this year and 2031, Victorian schools will receive $2.4 billion less in state government funding than they otherwise would have. They will also receive less money from the Commonwealth.
The Age
12-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Teachers on collision course with state government over school funding
A showdown is looming between Victorian teachers and the Allan government over school funding after the education union described a decision to delay money needed to deliver the Gonski reforms by three years as a 'disaster for public school staff and students'. Australian Education Union Victorian branch president Justin Mullaly said the revelation the Allan government had secretly delayed its commitment from 2028 to 2031 and, in the process, stripped $2.4 billion out of public schools, underscored the widening gap in teacher pay and staffing levels between Victoria and other states. 'We are the lowest-funded schools in the country, and we are the lowest-paid teachers in the country,' Mullaly said. 'Victoria has to be well and truly on the way to getting to that original commitment by 2028. 'Otherwise, it just won't happen. That is going to be a disaster for public school staff and students.' Victoria previously had a publicly stated target of fully funding its share of the Gonski school funding reforms by 2028. This requires the state to provide government schools 75 per cent of the total funding they are allocated under a needs-based model knows as the Schooling Resource Standard. The federal government has agreed to provide the remaining 25 per cent once the states reach this benchmark. Confidential documents seen by this masthead show that in March 2024, in the lead-up to last year's state budget, the Victorian government abandoned its commitment and, under a revised timeline, won't fully fund public schools until 2031. This means that, between this year and 2031, Victorian schools will receive $2.4 billion less in state government funding than they otherwise would have. They will also receive less money from the Commonwealth.
