‘Massive win’ for TAFE teachers as pay raised, conditions improved
Under a new agreement with the Allan government, the minimum salary of TAFE teachers will jump by 21 per cent over four years, including a 14 per cent rise in the first 14 months.
Victoria
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Top Victorian TAFE teachers are set to be paid more than $130,000 a year under a new pay deal with the Allan government, locking in salary hikes and better working conditions.
Under the new in-principle agreement, announced on Friday, teachers salaries will increase by at least 21 per cent over four years, including a 14 per cent jump in the first 14 months.
The deal will bring TAFE teachers into line with some Victorian public school teachers, with the top rate for a classroom based teacher rising to $134,775 by 2028.
More experienced teachers will see their pay packet jump by more than $20,000 from $107,995 to $130,672, while the salaries of junior teachers will jump from $83,429 to $100,912 by the end of the agreement.
For every hour of teaching, TAFE teachers will also receive 45 minutes of planning time – up from 30 minutes – and in-class assessments will be counted as teaching.
The first pay increase will be backdated to November last year.
Australian Education Union Victorian Branch President Justin Mullaly called the pay deal a “massive win” after more than two-and-a-half years of campaigning and industrial action.
“Victorian TAFE teachers have been overworked and underpaid for far too long, leading to burnout and teachers leaving our TAFEs,” he said.
“This new agreement recognises the critical role TAFE teachers play in the community and acknowledges their contribution to Victoria’s economy, particularly within regional communities where TAFE provides significant vocational pathways for students.”
He added that he was confident the deal would help plug skills shortages.
Union officials issued historic stop-work orders and further bans and limitations on work last year as part of industrial action, with dozens of teachers gathering on the steps of parliament to demand the Allan government come to the table.
The win for TAFE teachers comes as a protracted police pay dispute is dealt another blow.
As revealed by the Herald Sun on Thursday, the union and Victoria Police have headed back to the Fair Work Commission to settle details of a new deal, threatening to further delay the long-running stand-off.
The $450 deal would deliver cops a 4.5 per cent annual pay increase over the next four years.
Skills and TAFE Minister Gayle Tierney said the deal was “absolutely what they deserve”.
“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,” she said.
Originally published as ‘Massive win’ for TAFE teachers as pay raised, conditions improved
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