From the Assistant Principal

Unions (and other dirty words)

I was on my first picket line when I was ten years old… well… sort of. My dad was one of the thousands of dock workers unfairly sacked during the bitter dispute between the Maritime Union, their employer, and the government. I remember one cold night down on the docks with fires burning in barrels, men quietly shaking each other’s hands, shivering in heavy jackets, unsure of what the future held. I didn’t really understand what was happening, but I knew it mattered.

A few years later, my mum was made redundant after a once proud Australian company was sold to an overseas business that slashed wages and conditions.

Victorian teachers last went on strike in 2012. It was the first time I marched for rights directly connected to my own work. Since then, workplace agreements have mostly been signed without too much fuss. But you may have heard about the rumblings of industrial action in the education sector over the past few months.

I’m afraid those rumblings will soon be measurable on the Richter scale.

I’ve been a proud AEU member since my first day as a teacher. I grew up understanding the role unions can play in advocating for fair and sustainable workplaces. I also recognise that only a small proportion of Australians now belong to unions, and that perspectives vary across the community. These days, 'union' can feel like a dirty word.

Industrial action will in all likelihood affect the 2026 school year. We will communicate clearly and as early as possible with families if/when this occurs. The media will sensationalise what’s coming - and unfortunately, families with children in government schools will be placed squarely in the uncomfortable middle.

I won’t go into specific detail here - come and speak to anyone wearing a red shirt on Wednesdays if you’d like to know more - but these are the key reasons we are taking action:

Public schools are not funded well enough to support your children as well as we want to.
Teacher burnout and retention are becoming increasingly difficult to manage.
Workload has increased significantly, with administrative and compliance demands taking time away from teaching.
We need smaller class sizes so every student can receive greater individual attention and support.
Education Support staff are essential to our schools, yet are consistently undervalued and underpaid.

Victorian public school staff work, on average, 12 hours of unpaid overtime each week.

And yes - Victorian teachers are currently the lowest paid in the country.

The union has announced a proposed 24-hour stop-work on Tuesday 24 March, subject to a member ballot - Strike! Another dirty word. If this proceeds, it is likely that Newport Lakes Primary School will be closed on this day. Confirmation will be provided as soon as arrangements are finalised.

Further actions that the AEU are considering may include limitations on certain non-teaching duties or meetings, including not responding to Department emails, not using Department online systems, and even bans on aspects of student reports. Our priority will always be to minimise disruption to students and families, while advocating for conditions that allow us to do our jobs well.

I know our school community. Newport Lakes is a place built on respect and partnership. Just like in 2012, our families will stand with us. Please don’t forget how much our school means to our teachers and education support staff when some of these scenarios play out. Any action we take is not because we are seeking an easy way out - despite what the Herald Sun comments section might suggest - we are doing this because it is the right thing to do.

It is the right thing for our staff.

And the right thing for our students.

In Solidarity,

Mat Williamson

Assistant Principal (and on Wednesdays, we wear red)