Education Minister Blair Boyer has slammed the Australian Education Union’s planned strike on November 9

Public school teachers have voted to walk off the job next week – but a last-minute offer from the government could avert the chaos.

The planned teachers’ strike during Year 12 exams is a “waste of time” Education Minister Blair Boyer says – but the government will consider increasing its 3 per cent pay offer.

The teachers union revealed late on Thursday that its members have voted in favour of a full-day strike on Thursday, November 9, if the state government does not make an improved offer.

“I think it is a waste of time because we are already at the table, we’ve made two offers already,” Mr Boyer said.

“We will be considering whether we can make a higher offer, that is at the heart of cabinet’s consideration on Monday.

“We signalled that well before the strike action was proposed. The timing is questionable – I think they have misread the room.”

The Australian Education Union SA branch has given the government a deadline of Monday, November 6, to meet its demands otherwise the strike will go ahead.

“Teachers have had enough, no more goodwill,” branch president Andrew Gohl declared, adding current conditions were “just sucking teachers dry of time for themselves and time with their families”.

The union is seeking pay increases of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent per year until 2026, and extra time away from the classroom for lesson planning and administration.

The government has offered 3 per cent annual wage rises, plus two $1500 payments and a suite of other measures.

The union’s executive will meet to discuss any government offer on Monday.

Australian Education Union SA branch president Andrew Gohl speaks at the September 1 teachers strike. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Kelly Barnes

If a strike cannot be averted, schools may have to shut for the day or operate with limited programs, depending on how many educators decide not to show up for work.

It is a crucial time of year for year 12 students who are preparing for exams.

Students will sit tests for physics and accounting on November 9, and biology and modern history the following day.

However, Mr Gohl argued there “will be no impact on exams”.“Should any (year 12) teachers feel like they need to be there to support their students on the day then we understand that,” he said.

Year 12 Pulteney Grammar student Michael Trenwith feels fortunate to be quarantined from the impending strike and hopes it is not adding too much extra stress to those in the public system.

“While undergoing the most stressful period of my life to date – exam revision – I am incredibly grateful for the stability of my schoolteachers, as they constantly reassure me I am not alone in this journey,” he said.

It will be the second time teachers have gone on strike this year, as the union aims to put pressure on the state government in increasingly tense negotiations.

Thousands of educators walked off the job on September 1, forcing the closure of 167 public schools and preschools, affecting about 62,000 students.

A further 152 schools had to modify classes, while 608 sites stayed open as normal or had a planned pupil free day.

The AEU has about 12,100 members in SA, although not all work in schools or preschools.

The union is seeking pay increases of between 5.5 and 8.6 per cent per year until 2026.

The government has offered annual rises of 3 per cent, plus two $1500 payments.

Education Minister Blair Boyer is expected to deliver a new offer to the AEU by November 6. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Morgan Sette

The AEU is also asking for more than $1bn in extra classroom support to ease workload pressures and manage children with complex needs, and a 20 per cent drop in face-to-face teaching time.

Mr Boyer told ABC Radio Adelaide the government is negotiating with the union to bring in the drop in face-to-face teaching time sooner rather than later however said the logistics involved in executing that request will take time.

It says educators are leaving the sector because they are being inundated with paperwork and administrative tasks, much of which is being completed out of paid hours.

A key sticking point centres on how long it will take to give all teachers an extra hour away from the classroom to plan lessons each week.

During negotiations the government has offered incentives like permanency for principals and preschool directors and a ‘right to disconnect’ for all teachers outside work hours.

Education Minister Blair Boyer said he was “disappointed to learn the AEU has opened up the option of strike action on Thursday”.

“Our focus now is on making sure that if the union does go ahead with the strike, the impact on (year 12) students is as minimal as possible,” he said.

“I have said from the outset that I did not think strike action was necessary because negotiations between the government and the union have been positive and have remained so.”

Mr Boyer said the government would make a revised and improved offer on Monday.

“I’m addressing concerns of teachers around workload and ensuring they are given a pay rise,” he said.

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said most South Australians “would be deeply disappointed” that the union “has seen fit to call a strike in the middle of year 12 exams”. “To add uncertainty and disruption to what is already an anxious time for those students is very unfair and will not do the union any favours in winning South Australian hearts and minds,” Mr Gardner said.

Originally published as Education Minister Blair Boyer has slammed the Australian Education Union’s planned strike on November 9