About 11,000 teachers gathered in Melbourne on Thursday (June 7) to demand better pay and conditions, local media said.
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.
The teachers gathered in Melbourne's Hisense Arena, where they were addressed by union officials.
The Arena which holds 10,000 was full, forcing remaining teachers to wait outside the building.
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.
Local media reported that the teachers want a 10% pay raise every year for the next three years and longer contracts.
The union has rejected the state government's offer of a 2.5% pay rise, an AEU spokeswoman said.
The Australian Education Union says 1 in 5 staff are employed on contracts of 12 months or less.
