AdvertisementExclusive NationalVictoriaEducation Principals reject plan to cut teacher hours in revised pay deal Caroline Schelle and Angus Delaney July 30, 2026 — 1:00pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Share A A APrincipals have warned a pay deal that would cut teachers’ meeting hours in half would backfire, as the state’s new premier continues to urge educators against more strikes. However, the offer was narrowly rejected and led to 20,000 teachers, principals and educators from government schools taking to the streets in Melbourne to call for better conditions as part of any deal. AdvertisementFederation president Andrew Cock pointed out the organisation was not consulted before the announcement of the plan to cut meeting hours. Carroll said on Thursday morning he had pulled “every lever” when negotiating with the teachers’ union, and believed a deal was within reach.