Victorian educators would get a $2000 bonus with the signing of a pay and conditions offer from the state government, as the new education minister attempts to avoid statewide school strikes planned for next Wednesday.

Teacher, principal and education support staff salaries would all rise by at least 28.3 per cent over the next four years under the latest offer, and educators at the top of their salary bands would also receive a 1 per cent annual lump-sum payment.

Australian Education Union Victorian president Justin Mullaly said the offer came a day after the premier committed the state government to signing a full funding agreement with the federal government before the November state election.

“Victoria needs full funding for public schools and pay and conditions that reflect the value of the important work public school staff do for Victorian families and communities,” Mullaly said.

The offer is the first from the new Labor government after Education Minister Gabrielle Williams met with the powerful Australian Education Union to galvanise pay negotiations the day after nominating herself for the education portfolio.

The government’s previous offer of 28.3 per cent over four years, which also halved meeting hours and included improved conditions for support staff, was narrowly rejected following a vote of more than 50,000 union members last month.

The AEU’s joint primary and secondary sector council is expected to meet later today to decide on its next steps, with the offer likely to be put to a ballot of union members.

Teachers, principals and support staff will stop work for 24-hours on August 19, the third strike this year, if the offer is rejected.

The union had originally sought a 35 per cent pay increase over three years, which would mean graduate teachers would start on more than $107,400 by 2028 and experienced teachers would earn more than $159,300 by 2028.

Members rejected an in-principle agreement endorsed by 120 of its elected council members in June, under which teachers’, assistant principals’ and principals’ salaries would have increased by between 28.3 per cent and 32.4 per cent over four years.

Under the in-principle schools agreement, a graduate teacher’s pay would have increased from the current $79,589 to more than $114,731 by 2029 and an experienced classroom teacher’s pay would have increased from the current $118,063 to $151,419 by 2029.

Teachers would also have received a lump sum payment of 1 per cent of their salary each year.

Union leadership has signalled that signing a long-term agreement with the Commonwealth to fully fund public schools, as set out by the Gonski reforms, is crucial to pay negotiations. Victoria’s two-year federal funding agreement is set to expire at the end of 2026. It is the only state or territory not to reach an agreement with the Commonwealth, though both parties have signalled that a deal is imminent.

The public school educators’ pay negotiations have broader implications for the sector and its about 40,000 Catholic school staff, who are currently negotiating their own enterprise agreement. Catholic teachers have had pay parity with Victorian public school teachers since the 1990s.

More to come.