About 11,000 teachers gathered in Melbourne on Thursday (June 7) to demand better pay and conditions, local media said.<br/> <br />Thousands of teachers walked off the job for 24 hours, forcing the closure of 150 schools across the Australian state of Victoria, the Australian Education Union (AEU) said.<br/> <br />The teachers gathered in Melbourne's Hisense Arena, where they were addressed by union officials.<br/> <br />The Arena which holds 10,000 was full, forcing remaining teachers to wait outside the building.<br/> <br />During the rally, the AEU passed a resolution to continue holding strikes lasting between 1 and 24 hours in order escalate their 8 month campaign, a union spokesperson told Reuters by telephone.<br/> <br />Local media reported that the teachers want a 10% pay raise every year for the next three years and longer contracts.<br/> <br />The union has rejected the state government's offer of a 2.5% pay rise, an AEU spokeswoman said.<br/> <br />The Australian Education Union says 1 in 5 staff are employed on contracts of 12 months or less.
