Public school teachers, principals and education support staff statewide will stop work for a further 24 hours on August 19 if negotiations for better pay, conditions and schools’ funding continue to fail.

Australian Education Union Victorian Branch president Justin Mullaly said it was unacceptable that after more than a year of bargaining, the concerns of AEU members were still not adequately addressed.

“Premier Ben Carroll must answer the question, how can you call Victoria ‘the education state’ when Victoria’s public schools are the lowest funded in the country?” he said.

“How can you call Victoria ‘the education state’ when our teachers, principals and education support staff are overworked and undervalued?

“The answer is you can’t. AEU members will continue our campaign for full funding of our schools until the Carroll Labor government signs a deal with the Federal Government to fully fund Victorian public schools.

“We will continue our campaign for a pay and conditions offer that values and respects the work of AEU members.”

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