TAFE Teachers Secure 21 Percent Pay Increase through Negotiations
Technical and Further Education (TAFE) teachers in Victoria have won a significant victory, securing a 21 percent pay rise over four years that will bring their salaries in line with those of their public school counterparts.
The new enterprise agreement includes a 14 percent pay increase within the first 14 months, along with improved leave entitlements. The highest-paid classroom-based TAFE teacher could earn up to $134,775 (US$84,854) per year, while a newly-qualified teacher could make $100,912 (US$63,534) within four years.
This achievement follows two-and-a-half years of negotiations, which included classroom walkouts and a 24-hour strike involving hundreds of TAFE teachers marching on state parliament.
Justin Mullaly, President of the Australian Education Union Victorian Branch, described the outcome as a significant win for TAFE teachers in Victoria, who have been advocating for better salaries and working conditions for nearly three years.
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Mullaly emphasized the importance of TAFE teachers in addressing skills shortages in the state. He stated, “Victoria cannot address this shortage of skills without addressing the key concerns of TAFE teachers which are causing them to leave the classroom.” He added, “This agreement does just that.”
The negotiations for this agreement were conducted between the Australian Education Union and the Victorian TAFE Association, with funding provided by the state government. Victoria has a public sector wages cap of three percent to manage its rising wages bill.
Skill and TAFE Minister Gayle Tierney praised the agreement, noting that it will help attract and retain the workforce in the sector. She added, “Our TAFE teachers are world-class and they’re training our state’s future workforce to build the homes we need, support our clean energy transition, and provide care for those who need it.”
This agreement is part of a series of industrial agreements and disputes in Victoria over the past year, with nurses receiving a 28.5 percent wage increase and paramedics securing up to a 33 percent boost. Other sectors like the police force, firefighters, and regional train operators have also engaged in industrial action.
