South Australian teachers, who are part of the Australian Education Union (AEU), went  on strike and classes were canceled for tone week! They  demanded that they see progress from the government to make changes in a pay and conditions dispute.

 Teachers protested in front of the Adelaide office of Education Minister Jance Lomax-Smith. 93 schools were closed and another 21 operated on a modified adjustment program due to the teachers strike.

 The teachers were fighting for a 21 percent pay raise over the next three years plus extra funds to cut class sizes and to attract higher quality staff members.

 AEU state president Correna Haythorpe noted that they have removed the contentious funding issue from negotiations, allowing the negotiations to be cut down and focused at the most important thing which is the pay and conditions dispute.

 The Australian government had offered 10 percent over the next three years and noted that 20 percent was  unrealistic and unaffordable.