Victorian teachers losing out on $1.8b in wages due to unpaid overtime

Teachers working hundreds of hours of unpaid overtime are missing out on thousands of dollars in wages, according to the education union.

Teachers are losing out on a combined $1.8b in wages after it was revealed they work an average of 660 hours a year in unpaid overtime.

Australian Education Union (AEU) Victorian Branch claim teachers, principals and education support staff work an average 16.5 hours above and beyond their paid hours each week.

This adds up to a lost revenue of $1.84b over their 40-week school year.

The AEU surveyed more than 8500 staff from 552 state government schools.

It also revealed teachers spend an average of 64 hours in unpaid work just to produce school reports each year.

AEU Victorian Branch President Meredith Peace said the figures were “absolutely shocking”.

“Report writing is a fundamental task required of teachers and is essential for providing invaluable feedback to students and parents,” she said.

“It is alarming that school staff are expected to complete such an important function of teaching largely unpaid and in their own time.”

Ms Peace said each year, every public school student in Victoria received $1384 less funding compared to public school students in all other state and territories.

“This is another example of how public school staff make up the funding shortfall through

excessive workload.

Teachers in Victoria are losing out on a combined $1.8b in wages. Picture: Istock

“Teachers, principals and education support staff who work in Victorian government schools

are dedicated to delivering high quality education.”

Australian Principals’ Federation Victorian acting president Tina King said school leaders and teachers worked beyond their normal hours.

“The demands have increased significantly and a lot of that is done at the individual’s expense sometimes,” Ms King said.

“If you go to any school across the state during school holidays, you will find our school leaders and teachers working including, doing corrections or preparing classrooms.”

Ms King said excessive work and other demands can lead to burnout.

“Dealing with complex and difficult issues can take their toll … excessive work loads are adding burdens and causing people not to enter the profession.”

A Department of Education spokeswoman said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the work our teachers do supporting Victorian students, especially while they are learning remotely.”

“We have invested more than $51 million to support the health, safety and wellbeing of our school staff as part of the Safe and Well in Education Strategy, and we’re taking ongoing action to reduce the workload and administrative burden of school staff outside school hours,” she said.