By Norrian Rundle and Michael O'Reilly
On September 1, primary and secondary school teachers in the eastern half of Victoria stopped work. Schools in the western half of the state took stop-work action on August 18.
The half-day stop-work on September 1 was called by the Australian Education Union to protest against the failure of the Liberal state government to negotiate with teachers on a certified agreement. The AEU has been requesting the talks since November.
The AEU is concerned about the inadequate resources for schools, which has resulted in larger class sizes, more face-to-face teaching hours and a decline in the quality of education.
At the Camberwell office of state education minister Phil Gude, more than 300 teachers heard Mary Bluett, the AEU president, outline teachers' concerns about the future of education. One parent who addressed the crowd explained her worries about large class sizes and a young teacher outlined the plight of contract teachers who go from one short-term contract to another with no security of employment.
Rallies were also held in Whittlesea and other regional centres. The rallies and stop-work actions are part of a state-wide campaign to win a certified agreement. There will be a full-day stop-work by teachers on November 12.