VIC: Teachers strike

A resolution to begin the next stage of the protracted industrial campaign was passed at a mass rally attended by more than 15,000 striking teachers, principals and education support staff at the Rod Laver Arena yesterday.

Teachers brandishing placards with slogans such as ''Misled by Ted'' and ''Ted Faillieu'' expressed their anger over the state government's broken pre-election promise to make
Victorian teachers the highest paid in the nation.

They also booed government proposals to sack the bottom 5 per cent of teachers, introduce performance-based pay and recruit principals from professions other than teaching.

They were later joined in a march to State Parliament by more than 4000 Catholic teachers - whose pay is directly linked to that of state teachers - even though their strike was not legally protected. Fifty Catholic schools closed and 180 were severely disrupted on top of the 400 state schools estimated to have closed.

Australian Education Union state president Mary Bluett, said last night she had no idea how long the protracted campaign would drag on.

''The Baillieu government don't seem to have the capacity to work out how to negotiate with the public sector,'' Ms Bluett said.