We Stopped Work. We Showed Up. Here’s What Went Down.

On Tuesday 16 September, VSKEA members joined over a thousand early childhood teachers and educators outside Parliament House for a powerful stop work rally, led by the AEU. After more than 15 months of stalled bargaining, we stood together to say: “We are essential. We are professionals. And we deserve to be treated that way.”

Why We Walked Out

This action wasn’t just symbolic, it was protected industrial action under the VECTEA, and it was taken for good reason.

Despite more than a year of negotiations, the Allan Labor Government still hasn’t put a credible pay offer on the table for early childhood workers.

The AEU is calling for:

• A 35% pay rise to properly value the profession

• Relief from unsustainable workloads, including more planning time, less admin, and better support

• A real response to the workforce crisis impacting services across the state

We are being told we’re at the centre of the “Education State,” while still being expected to run quality programs, on wages that barely compete with retail. And let’s be clear: The government has billions in the budget for early childhood. But they’ve refused to fund the workforce making “Free Kinder” and Best Start, Best Life possible.

The Disconnect We’re All Feeling

The government is proudly rolling out:

• Free Kinder for every Victorian child

• The Best Start, Best Life reforms

• New “pipelines to professionalism” to attract and retain early years teachers

But in sessional kindergarten settings, where us VSKEA members work, we’re still facing:

• Low wages

• Unstable contracts

• Limited career progression

• No time or support to mentor new staff

If the government is serious about retention and professionalism in early childhood education, then they need to invest in the people who are already here, not just make big promises for the next generation of educators.

What the Day Looked Like

The day began with a mass meeting in Melbourne’s CBD, followed by a red-shirted march to Parliament House.

Around 1,200 educators showed up, including a proud and visible group of VSKEA members. There were signs, chants, speeches, and a real sense of solidarity in the air. Union leaders and educators spoke passionately about the day-to-day reality of being underpaid and undervalued… while still being expected to deliver on massive reforms.

Why It Mattered

We stood up, not just for ourselves, but for the whole profession:

For all the times you’ve stayed back unpaid.
For every lunch break you’ve worked through.
For every week you’ve spent catching up on VIT evidence at night.

This was our chance to say, That’s enough. We’re not volunteers. We’re not babysitters… We are qualified professionals, and it’s time the system treated us that way.

What Happens Next

This rally was just the beginning, and the energy on the steps of Parliament made it clear that educators are ready for change. At VSKEA, we’re not a union, we’re a grassroots network of educators advocating for each other, in real time, on the ground, and in our own services. We’ll keep:

• Sharing knowledge about your rights under VECTEA

• Supporting each other to understand entitlements like Clause 52

• Calling out the gaps in Best Start, Best Life, especially for sessional kinder educators

• Encouraging educators to ask questions, speak up, and get the support they deserve

If you were there on the 16th, thank you! If you couldn’t be, you’re still part of this so remember to:

• Talk to your team.

• Share this post with a colleague.

• Ask questions, stay curious, reach out.

• Keep showing up for yourself, and for each other.

Because when educators connect and advocate together, we become impossible to ignore.

A Note to Other Unions in Our Sector

At VSKEA, we’ve been proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our members and the AEU in this campaign.

But we also recognise that there are other unions collecting dues from early childhood educators in Victoria, including unions like United Workers Union and TPAA (Red Union). To those unions: if you claim to represent ECE staff, this is your fight too. This isn’t just about contract details, it’s about pay equity, workload relief, and upholding the value of our profession. We hope to see every union in our sector actively supporting members in this campaign for real change. Because a stronger, more respected workforce benefits us all.