Victorian public school teachers have won a reduction in face-to-face learning hours for the first time in three decades, after their union reached an agreement with the state government.
The Australian Education Union and the Andrews government reached a deal on Friday, following months of bargaining and industrial action.
For the first time in more than 30 years, government school teachers will have their face-to-face teaching hours reduced by one hour in 2023, which will increase to one-and-a-half hours the following year.
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The reduced hours will give teachers more time to prepare lessons, and plan and mark assessments.
Additionally, new provisions will give teachers dedicated time within working hours to undertake essential work related to their classes.
There will be a pupil free day for assessment and reporting, while professional practice days will be re-introduced to help teachers better manage their workload.
Teachers will be able to access time in lieu to account for overtime spent undertaking school activities like camps, excursions and information nights.
All government school staff will receive a 1 per cent pay rise every six months up to and including July 1, 2025, with the first pay rise backdated to January 1 this year.
Paid maternity leave will be increased to 16 weeks and superannuation will be paid to employees on parental leave for 12 months.
AEU Victoria labelled the new four-year deal as “an historic agreement” that will help students receive better support.
“This is a significant agreement that teachers, principals, education support staff and parents and carers can all support,” the union’s Victorian president Meredith Peace said.
“Our new agreement, endorsed today by the AEU joint Primary and Secondary Sector Council, makes important and significant inroads to address the excessive workloads faced by teachers.
“This is a milestone win for staff in public schools and the students they work with, and I look forward to sharing the details with our members across the state as they consider the in-principle agreement.”
" ‘This proposed deal will cement our state as the best place in the nation to work as a teacher and the best place to send a child to school’ - James Merlino "
Ms Peace said the state government had also committed to employing 2000 additional teachers for Victorian public schools.
Education Minister James Merlino said, after a challenging two years, the government was proud to support the state’s teachers.
“This proposed deal will cement our state as the best place in the nation to work as a teacher and the best place to send a child to school,” he said.
AEU members will soon vote on the proposed enterprise agreement.
