Stop-work action to affect Tasmanian public schools and health services next week

Thursday 23 OctoberThu 23 Oct 2025 at 3:49am

The back of a young boy's head, looking toward a teacher at the front of a classroom. — Tasmanian public schools will be affected by stop-work action next week. (Unsplash: Taylor Flowe)

In short:

Tasmanian public school teachers and health workers will carry out staggered stop-work actions next week in response to a government pay offer.

It means schools will close for the morning for one day next week, while non-urgent health patients could experience temporary delays and inconveniences.

What's next?

Premier Jeremy Rockliff remains committed to a 3 per cent pay offer over one year while longer-term deals are struck, but it falls far short of union demands and further industrial action is likely.

Tasmanian public sector unions will carry out staggered stop-work actions in schools and in the public health system next week after slamming the government's latest pay offer.

The government stuck to its offer of a 3 per cent pay rise for one year, while negotiations over future years continue.

It also includes changes to personal leave, parental leave and pregnancy loss leave entitlements, but unions described those as "long promised" and not "anything significant".

The stop-work actions is expected to take place from 9am to 11am on Tuesday in the north-west, on Wednesday in the north, and on Thursday in the south.

It means public schools will shut between those hours, and Education Minister Jo Palmer says classes will begin at 11.30 am on the relevant day for each region.

School strike action

Tuesday, October 28: 9am-11am in the north-west
Wednesday, October 29: 9am-11am in the north
Thursday, October 30: 9am-11am in the south

A group of young students wearing yellow and blue uniforms sit on the ground, looking up at an educator. — Public school teachers will stop work for a two-hour period. (Facebook: Bowen Road Primary School)

In addition to the Australian Education Union (AEU), other unions to take part in the stop-work actions include the Health and Community Services Union (HACSU), the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), the United Workers Union (UWU) and the United Firefighters Union (UFU).

HACSU state secretary Robbie Moore said paramedics would maintain safe staffing levels during the stop-work period, while there could be "inconvenience and delays" for non-urgent patients in the public health system.

A female paramedic walks past an ambulance parked outside the Royal Hobart Hospital. — The health services union says safe paramedic staff levels will be maintained. ( ABC News: Luke Bowden )

Government accused of cobbling together offer

AEU Tasmania president David Genford described the government's offer as "cobbled together".

"It's the same 3 per cent pay proposal as last time and there's still nothing to address workload, class sizes, deal with school violence, or fix the retention crisis," Mr Genford said.

The government said unions had requested a 21.5 per cent pay rise over three years, including 11 per cent in one year, and described its 3 per cent offer as above inflation in Tasmania.

It put the need for a one-year offer down to delays caused by the recent snap state election.

CPSU Tasmania secretary Thirza White said the latest offer was unlikely to gain the support of workers.

"A lot of what it is in this offer is actually things that have been long promised and were commitments made in the last bargaining, things that just need to be modernised,"

Ms White said.

Thirza White gestures while giving a speech. — Thirza White says the latest offer is unlikely to gain the support of workers. (Supplied: CPSU Tasmania)

"The promise of 'we want longer' is actually just a delay tactic, and that's the frustration for our members.

"We don't need more time, we need people in the room who have the authority to bargain and a government that is committed to listening and working with its workforce."

The Police Association has also criticised the government's pay offer, saying Tasmanian police officers were paid 16.8 per cent less than their interstate counterparts on average.