Australia: Victorian educators’ industrial action ballot opens—Vote yes but build rank-and-file committees to take the struggle forward
Monday, February 16, 2026
AI Disclaimer: This platform utilizes AI to summarize breaking news and may contain inaccuracies or errors. As the platform grows, we intend to add more human oversight and pursue justice while minimizing AI involvement.
Over 45,000 Australian Education Union (AEU) members in Victoria are participating in a protected industrial action ballot, which opened on February 15 and closes on March 12, to authorize potential strike action and other work bans, with the AEU seeking a 35% wage increase over four years.
The Committee for Public Education (CFPE) warns that the AEU bureaucracy may be preparing another sellout deal, like in 2022, and urges educators to establish independent, democratically elected rank-and-file committees to take the struggle forward, as years of falling real wages and chronic underfunding have driven thousands out of the profession.
The Victorian government, led by Premier Jacinta Allan, has signaled a hard-line stance, having secretly deferred full Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) funding until 2031, effectively withholding $2.4 billion from public schools, and AEU president Justin Mullaly's claim of going "full throttle" for improved pay and conditions has been met with skepticism by many educators.
