Victorian TAFE teachers will take strike action on August 20 for the first time in more than a decade in pursuit of fair pay and job security.

Victoria has Australia's lowest-funded TAFE system, and Victorian TAFE teachers are the nation's lowest paid.

Salaries are now up to $13,000 a year less than Victorian school teachers. Sixty per cent of TAFE teachers are employed casually with no contracts, no sick leave entitlements, no holidays and no job security. Yet student numbers are growing and workload is increasing. Morale is plummeting.

It's time to stop this rip-off.

The AEU launched its fight for a fair deal in TAFE in March 2007, lobbying the State Government for a single agreement for TAFE teachers across Victoria.

Since that first step the AEU has fought a vigorous campaign in TAFE institutes and in the community with rallies, posters, strong media coverage and a major recruitment drive. Skills Minister Jacinta Allan has been inundated with hundreds of campaign postcards from AEU TAFE members.

The battle is being fought in the face of intransigence from employers. The AEU served TAFE directors with its log of claims - based on extensive member consultations - in August last year. Employers know the score, but refuse to come to the table without unacceptable preconditions that would mean the effective introduction of individual contracts with some of the worst features of John Howard's AWAs.

Now they are threatening to withdraw from negotiations entirely and pursue separate agreements for each TAFE institute. That is a breach of good faith bargaining and flies in the face of the policy set down by the State Government after AEU lobbying.

On this page you can find background materials, supporting documents, news releases and posters and leaflets to download and join the fight.

TAFE is the engine which will drive Australia out of its skills crisis, but it's being run into the ground. Victorian TAFE teachers need a fair deal NOW.

Key documents