Powerful state teachers unions have had a significant political role, often facing bureaucrats and politicians to address their concern when formulating policy. Teacher unionism has formally existed in Victoria since 24th April 1886 when the State School Teachers’ Union of Victoria (SSTUV) was formed. AEU Victoria is the Victorian branch of the Australian Education Union - the federal union for teachers, principals, education support staff and all educators working in government schools and government-funded early childhood, TAFE and adult education. The AEU is the union for those who work in Day Services, Business Services officers, Employment officers, Program Managers and CEOs who work in the disability sector in Victoria, with over 51,000 members, the AEU campaigns for education professionals, for public education and for social justice. More than a decade of widespread restructuring of state education departments, predominantly motivated by reformist notions of school improvements through ‘school site management’ and ‘devolution’- the prevailing reality is one of continuing policy domination on the big issues by central education bureaucrats and politician.