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March 18, 2026 \u2014 7:53pm<\/p>\n
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Remove items from your saved list<\/a> to add more.<\/p>\n Save this article for later<\/p>\n Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.<\/p>\n Got it<\/p>\n AAA<\/p>\n Government school principals and assistant principals are set to take part in a teachers\u2019 strike next week after joining their teaching colleagues in rejecting the state\u2019s offer of a 17 per cent pay rise.<\/p>\n The industrial action is set to go ahead on Tuesday after the Australian Education Union (AEU), which represents tens of thousands of teachers in the Victorian public system, rejected the proposed four-year deal on Monday and branded it \u201ccompletely unacceptable\u201d.<\/p>\n The Australian Principals Federation (APF), representing state school leaders in Victoria, formally joined the opposition to Education Minister Ben Carroll\u2019s proposal on Wednesday, saying the offer failed to recognise the difficulty and complexity of running a modern school.<\/p>\n It marks the latest chapter in a wage dispute that has dragged on for eight months, as Victorian teachers \u2013 the nation\u2019s lowest-paid public education workforce \u2013 chase a 35 per cent pay rise over three years, reduced workloads and improved mental health support.<\/p>\n Related Article The federation is not pursuing industrial action yet, but principals who are AEU members are entitled to join their teaching colleagues in walking off the job, heaping further pressure on the Education Department\u2019s effort to keep schools open during the strike.<\/p>\n The department has asked principals and assistant principals intending to take part in Tuesday\u2019s strike action to nominate a teacher to be in charge of the school in their absence.<\/p>\n APF president Andrew Cock said he expected that some principals who are entitled to take protected industrial action if they are AEU members would join the state\u2019s first strike in 13 years, but could not say how many leaders were expected to join teachers on the picket line.<\/p>\n Related Article He said the government\u2019s offer fell short of his members\u2019 expectations.<\/p>\n \u201cThe department\u2019s offer does not acknowledge the complexity of the principal role or the challenges school leaders are currently navigating every day,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cPrincipals are responsible for leading increasingly complex organisations \u2013 managing staff, escalating student needs, growing compliance obligations and heightened community expectations \u2013 all while remaining fully accountable for the educational outcomes and operational performance of their schools.\u201d<\/p>\n Carroll previously said schools would be open on March 24 despite the strike. But within hours of the minister\u2019s pledge, some families were being advised by schools that classes would not be held and that only the children of emergency service workers should attend on the day.<\/p>\n Cock said that in addition to a better pay deal, principals wanted help with the \u201cgrowing and unsustainable workload facing school leaders\u201d and fight for better conditions to keep principals and assistant principals in their jobs.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we want great leaders in our schools, the system must properly recognise the role and provide the conditions that make the principalship sustainable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Start the day with a summary of the day\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter<\/a>.<\/p>\n Save<\/p>\n You have reached your maximum number of saved items.<\/p>\n![\"Deputy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/5d32ac913cf8be0b2c0f489e3ffc8a10da8e59e7.jpeg\")
Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll says the government is prepared for teacher walk-offs.Eddie Jim<\/p>\n![\"Deputy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1773837192_417_5d32ac913cf8be0b2c0f489e3ffc8a10da8e59e7.jpeg\")
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