They will join other Australian Education Union members at a rally at the Athenaeum Theatre in Melbourne and will then march to the steps of Parliament House.

University of Ballarat AEU sub- branch president Joanne Fogarty said TAFE teachers were angry.

"Nearly all our members are going on strike, everyone sees it as the only alternative now," she said.

Ms Fogarty said most TAFE classes would be cancelled.

She said teachers would stop work to remind the government of their demands.

"The point of this is to embarrass the Brumby Government about not supporting public education," she said.

"Our primary reason is to receive a pay rise and reach parity with schools in terms of pay.

"The government is offering us a three and a quarter per cent rise which is below inflation.

"We're seeking parity with schools, at the moment school teachers are paid up to $13,000 more than TAFE teachers. Class sizes are also a real concern, because pay is so bad we can't attract staff to work in TAFE and that causes problems with class sizes. We often have to double up and run bigger groups."

University of Ballarat AEU sub- branch secretary Craig Hurley, who is based at the Horsham campus, said TAFE teachers in Horsham were also feeling undervalued.

"I think there's a lot of support across the university for any action that will bring about a change to our current situation," he said.

AEU TAFE vice-president Gillian Robertson said TAFE teachers had not had a pay rise for two years but today would mark the first time they had gone on strike in 13 years.

Ms Robertson said the AEU had arranged for a bus to travel to Ballarat to pick up TAFE teachers who wanted to attend the Melbourne rally.