Unions & bargaining
Which teacher union covers you, what your enterprise agreement guarantees, and which negotiations are live in 2025/26 — the plain-English version.
Know your rights
These are the protections and entitlements that unions repeatedly remind members about. They apply in every state, and mostly flow from the Fair Work Act, WHS legislation or your enterprise agreement.
The Fair Work Act 2009 protects your right to be a union member and to have your union represent you in disputes, meetings and disciplinary processes. Employers cannot treat you adversely for being a member.
Face-to-face hours, non-contact time (DOTT/RFF/NIT/planning) and meeting caps are set in your enterprise agreement — not by the school. If your allocation exceeds the agreement, that is a workload breach, not a personal failing.
After-school meetings, parent-teacher nights and professional learning outside the ordinary week are only required up to the limits set in your agreement. Anything beyond those hours is voluntary or attracts time-in-lieu.
From August 2024 (large employers) and August 2025 (all employers), the Fair Work Act gives employees the right to refuse to monitor, read or respond to work contact outside working hours where refusal is reasonable. Emails and messages from parents or leadership after hours fall within scope.
Model WHS regulations now require employers to identify and control psychosocial hazards — including unreasonable workload, occupational violence and bullying. You can request a Health and Safety Representative (HSR) at your worksite.
Permanent and long-term temporary teachers are covered by unfair dismissal protections after the qualifying period. Adverse action claims (for exercising a workplace right) have no minimum service requirement.
Every enterprise agreement contains a consultation clause. Timetable overhauls, class size changes, restructures and new duties must be consulted with staff and the union before implementation.
Union membership typically includes professional indemnity insurance, legal representation in regulator complaints, and in some branches salary-continuance cover. Many teachers do not realise they are already covered — check your branch's member benefits.
Victoria — plain English
After a year of bargaining and two statewide strikes, AEU members endorsed the government's revised offer in August 2026 (79% yes on an 83% turnout) and the agreement went to the full-workforce ballot. Here is the short version, without the clause numbers.
Every teacher, principal and education support staff member gets at least 28.3% by the end of the agreement. Teachers get a minimum 13.04% in 2026 alone, then increases of roughly 4% to 4.9% each year through to 2029.
The first lifted salaries between 3.0% and 6.3% from 15 May 2026. The bigger 9.75% increase applies from 1 October 2026. A graduate on $79,589 before the deal lands on about $92,882; a teacher at the top of Range 2 moves from $118,063 to about $133,456.
Paid once, when the agreement starts operating. It is a lump sum, not a salary increase, so it does not roll into your incremental rate.
A 'position allowance' of 1% of salary is paid as a lump sum each December, which matters most if you have no increments left and would otherwise only move with the percentage rises.
Self-directed days off timetable for planning, assessment and preparation — the practical workload win alongside a commitment to reduce the number of meetings you are required to attend.
The agreement settles all claims from the logs of claims: no further salary increases and no further industrial action on matters inside the agreement before 15 May 2030.
Figures are the AEU Victoria in-principle progression table for the teacher class. Check your own range and sub-division on your payslip — your increase depends on where you sit and whether you increment.
Queensland — live dispute
Queensland went the opposite way to Victoria. Negotiations failed, so pay and conditions are now being decided by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission instead of at the bargaining table.
The matter was referred to arbitration under s 177(2) of the Industrial Relations Act 2016 (Qld) at the end of December 2025, with the QTU receiving its Notice of Referral on 5 January 2026. A Full Bench of the QIRC will decide the outcome, and all parties must comply with it.
On 25 August 2026 the QIRC granted an interim wage increase of 3% for state school teachers, operative from 7 September 2026 and appearing in pay from around 4 October 2026. The unions' claim for backpay to 1 February 2026 was rejected.
The QTU is seeking 24% over three years (an initial 3%, then 7% a year), against a government position of 8% over three years — the offer already accepted by police and paramedics. Most teachers had no increase between 1 July 2024 and the interim determination.
The Department of Education State School Teachers' Certified Agreement 2022 keeps operating until the determination replaces it, so your conditions — workload, transfers, leave — are unchanged for now.
Nothing to sign or vote on: arbitration removes the member ballot. Keep workload and unpaid-time records, watch QTU member bulletins for hearing dates, and expect back-dating questions to be settled in the final determination.
Arbitration timeframes move. The QIRC Full Bench issues its reasons and determination after hearings and written submissions, and further legal steps can extend the process — treat late 2026/early 2027 as indicative only.
State by state
The union covering your sector, the agreement setting your pay and conditions, and where bargaining is currently up to.
Public school teachers, TAFE teachers and school-based education support staff in NSW government schools.
Crown Employees (Teachers in Schools and Related Employees) Salaries and Conditions Award 2023.
Negotiations underway for the next award; Federation campaigning on workload reduction, permanent employment and salary competitiveness following the 2023 landmark pay deal.
Government school teachers, principals, education support and early childhood staff.
Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2026 (VGSA 2026) — endorsed by AEU members in August 2026 (79% yes) after two statewide strikes, then approved following the all-employee ballot. Replaces VGSA 2022.
Settled. Pay rises of 28.3%–32.4% over four years, a $2,000 lump sum at commencement, a minimum 13.04% increase in 2026 (increases dated 15 May 2026 and 1 Oct 2026) then 4%–4.9% annually to 2029. Also delivers four professional practice days a year, fewer required meetings, and a 1% December position allowance for teachers. No further salary claims before 15 May 2030.
State school teachers, heads of program, deputies and principals employed by the Department of Education.
Department of Education State School Teachers' Certified Agreement 2022 — still operating (nominally expired 30 June 2025) until the arbitrated determination replaces it.
In arbitration before a Full Bench of the QIRC (referred 31 December 2025). An interim 3% wage increase was granted on 25 August 2026, operative 7 September 2026, with backpay refused. QTU seeking 24% over three years against the government's 8%; substantive hearing expected late 2026 / early 2027.
Public school teachers, school leaders and TAFE lecturers across WA.
School Education Act Employees' (Teachers and Administrators) General Agreement 2023.
Current agreement runs to late 2025; SSTUWA preparing next log of claims focused on workload, DOTT time and country service benefits.
Public preschool, school and TAFE educators and leaders.
SA Government Schools Educational Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023.
Agreement in effect; ongoing implementation disputes around workload allocation and preschool release time.
Government school teachers, principals, TasTAFE educators and support staff.
Teachers Agreement 2023.
Agreement in effect to 2026; AEU running the 'Value Education' campaign around workload, wellbeing and recruitment.
ACT public school teachers, school leaders and support staff.
ACT Public Sector Teaching Staff Enterprise Agreement 2023–2026.
In-term agreement; joint working parties on workload, complex behaviour support and non-contact time are underway.
NT government school teachers, assistant teachers and school leaders.
NT Public Sector 2021–2025 Teachers and Educators Enterprise Agreement.
Bargaining commenced in 2025 for the replacement agreement — priorities include remote allowances, housing and workload.
Teachers and support staff in Catholic and independent schools across every state and territory, plus early childhood and post-secondary providers.
Sector-specific agreements — e.g. Catholic Education Multi-Employer Agreements (VIC, NSW/ACT, QLD) and individual independent school enterprise agreements.
Multiple bargaining rounds active in 2025/26 across Catholic and independent sectors — IEU campaigning for pay parity with government schools.
Bargaining moves quickly — always check your union's website for the latest log of claims, ballot dates and industrial action notices.