Tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Victoria as teachers and education staff walked off the job in the second major strike of the year.
Although public schools remain open today, many can provide care for only a small number of students.
At the height of the rally in Melbourne, a crowd disrupted traffic between Bourke Street and State Parliament.
Police estimated 20,000 people attended the protest in Melbourne, with hundreds also gathering in cities across regional Victoria.
It is the second major strike this year after around 35,000 people marched through the CBD in a 24-hour strike in March.
Protesters carried colorful banners and signs through the streets of Melbourne. (ABC News: Toby Hussey)
Meaghan Sinclair, who works at North Melbourne Primary School, said staff at the school felt they were not valued by the government.
“Many of us are at the bottom of the pay rung; many of us also deal with many children with very complex needs, ranging from injuries to physical disabilities,” the teaching assistant said.
“We work with some of the most vulnerable children in society in public schools. Is working for minimum wage really enough?”
Michael, a teacher from Lower Templestowe, told 774 ABC Melbourne the protest was not just about pay.
“This is really a work stoppage over our payment terms…we’re going out on the streets and saying, ‘You’re going to have to do better,’” he said.
“We need fair pay, fair conditions, and students need to learn in an environment where their staff is not overworked, burned out or retiring.
“So this protest today was a tipping point for teachers.”
Protesters happily made posters in honor of the strike. (774 ABC Melbourne: Kate Mead)
The strike comes after Australian Education Union (AEU) members voted to reject the state government’s latest pay proposal over the weekend.
The union said just over half of its members opposed the government’s new proposal, which this time included raising support staff wages by 28 percent over four years and halving the number of mandatory meetings teachers must attend.
Instead, the union is calling on the state government to agree to a three-year deal and take additional measures to ease teachers’ workloads.
Protesters have not ruled out the possibility of further strikes if their concerns are ignored.
People were angry at the rally in Melbourne’s CBD. (ABC News: Toby Hussey)
AEU Victoria president Justin Mullaly said workload was a key issue for teachers.
“They work in some of the lowest-funded schools in the country, which means they have a significant burden when it comes to workload,” he told ABC Radio Melbourne.
“They work an average of 12 hours a week without pay. They need some relief from this.
“This is one of the key issues that we need to consider in the negotiations.”
Teachers demand improved working conditions and higher wages. (ABC News: Sasha Payne)
Special development school worker Andrew Webb said it was “very difficult” to retain staff.
“People have been doing this for a few years and just say, ‘It’s too hard,’” he said.
“I’m willing to fight this as long as it takes to try to make changes not only in the short term but in the long term.”
Some teachers say they are at their limit. (ABC News: Sasha Payne)
Mr Mullaly said the union was more concerned about staff shortages and workloads than the Government’s wage proposal.
“On wages, there is no doubt that the 28 percent wage increase is significant. We have always recognized this,” he said.
“But when you have a situation where people are working in schools where teacher shortages persist, you need to do more to attract and in particular retain the workforce.”
People fill the streets of Melbourne’s central business district during the strike. (ABC News: Sasha Payne)
Although many children did not have to go to school today, some used the day off to support parents and teachers participating in the strike.
Ten-year-old Maggie said she thinks her teachers deserve better treatment.
“Our teachers are good… they need to be paid more and we want our school to be the best it can be,” Maggie said.
“They take care of us,” said classmate Oscar.
“They’re not doing it for them, they’re doing it for the kids.”
Maggie, 10, and Oscar, 8, join the strike in Melbourne. (ABC News)
Regional communities take action
Regional communities also took part in today’s strike.
Hundreds of teachers from schools in Wodonga, Mildura and Sale gathered in the middle of their towns and marched down the main street.
Many in Wodonga said the region was having difficulty filling vacancies because teachers simply had a better option working in Albury, a few kilometers from the NSW border.
Rohan Barry says teachers are moving across borders to get better pay. (ABC News: Philip Perez)
Wodonga Senior College teacher Rohan Barry said it was a major problem at his school.
“I know of one teacher who could work four days in NSW and earn a little more money than five days in Victoria, and that is partly addressed in the current proposal, but not fully,” he said.
“Teachers will look abroad for other solutions.
“As Victorian teachers, we would have preferred it not even been an issue.”
Cameron Middleton says funding is needed to improve schools. (ABC News: Philip Perez)
Wodonga High School college teacher Cameron Middleton said in addition to pay, more general funding was needed to improve schools in the region.
“We are known as the state of education, but due to our lack of funding, I don’t know how we can be proud to call ourselves (that) because at the moment we are not,” he said.
In Victoria’s Gippsland region, about 20 people gathered near Sale’s clock tower to take part in a statewide strike to fight for better working conditions and pay.
Stratford teacher Caitlin Hunter said teachers are tired.
“If it was just about money, which is what we wanted, then we wouldn’t go on strike or take an unpaid day off to send a message,” she said.
“We’re trying to send a very clear message that we want to be understood and we need the government to hear us.”
More than 150 public school teachers also marched through the shopping center in Mildura, many saying they were tired and underpaid. (ABC News: Sarah Bookecker)
‘Disappointing’ disruptions, government says
Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Ben Carroll said talks with the union were ongoing.
“Families are already juggling a lot and today’s upheaval is disappointing,” he said.
“This deal would make Victorian teachers and education support staff the best paid in the country and provide better conditions.
“This was a closed vote and we will continue to work with the AEU to resolve this issue.”
Victorian teachers say they are overworked and underappreciated. (ABC News: Sasha Payne)
In June, Victorian teachers went against AEU recommendations and voted against pay increases of 28 to 32 per cent.
In March, teachers and supporters staged a statewide strike, marching to parliament in central Melbourne where police estimated 35,000 people attended.
The March strike was the first of its kind since AEC members launched a statewide strike in 2013 after negotiations with Bayeux’s coalition government broke down.