00:02It was the biggest protest ever held by public education workers in Victoria.
00:07An estimated 35,000 teachers, principals and support staff walked off the job last month
00:13and they were just getting started.
00:15What do we want?
00:1610 years!
00:17And when do we want it?
00:19Now!
00:19Today the AEU advised the department and the government that we are escalating our industrial campaign.
00:27The union announcing half-day regional stop work actions across several weeks next term.
00:33Multiple local schools in a particular geographic area will all stop work at the same time
00:39and that they will converge and rally at a local state Labor MP office.
00:45Union members will also refuse to attend meetings, write comments in school reports,
00:50respond to education department emails or implement new programs.
00:54As they push for a 35 per cent pay increase over four years.
00:59The government has offered 17 per cent.
01:02There is a significant pay offer on the table there right now.
01:07That is, and it is at that negotiating table,
01:10that if the union wants to put alternative positions they should stay at that table.
01:14Negotiations have continued over the school holidays,
01:16with the union estimating the two parties have held more than 25 hours of meetings,
01:22but they say there is nothing new for them to consider.
01:25There is no new offer, but we are working in negotiations.
01:29When you are negotiating for that amount of time you are doing a lot of talking,
01:33but we also need to see the government actually do something to respect the value of the work.
01:38The government now needs to sit down and negotiate fairly to come to the table.
01:44It is clear that the teachers are not going to accept what the government has already put on the table.
01:47The union is not ruling out further escalation.
01:51We don't do it lightly, but the ball remains in the government's court.
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