source : the age
The state government is hopeful a new pay offer to public school teachers that would deliver wage rises of up to 32 per cent over four years will lead to a deal to avert further strike action.
A meeting of the Australian Education Union’s Victorian Branch Council has been discussing the new offer since early Friday morning at the union’s Abbotsford headquarters, and branch president Justin Mullaly is expected to hold a press conference shortly.
Sources within the room, not authorised to speak publicly, say the offer is for pay rises of between 28 and 32 per cent over four years, with insiders indicating a degree of complexity to the proposal.
Speaking at a parliamentary inquiry on Friday, Industrial Relations Minister Jaclyn Symes said the government was locked in “very productive” talks with the union.
“They are thrashing out the negotiations and having very productive conversations that hopefully we’ll hear more about when they have finished the conversations that they’re having right now,” she said.
“It is my advice that negotiations are underway as we speak, but I’m obviously not able to provide an outcome of those discussions today, but I have been advised that they are productive, and we’re getting closer and closer.”
More to come
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Daniella White is a state political reporter for The Age. Contact her at da.white@nine.com.auConnect via X or email.
