The rally kicked off the professions first 24-hour statewide strike in a decade.

Wagga Teachers Association president Michelle McKelvie was one of several speakers leading the event.

"As the saying goes, united we stand, divided we fall," Ms McKelvie said.

That is why she, like most others at the rally, felt a sense of comfort from the 'overwhelming amount of support from the districts teachers, principals and their loved ones who participated in the rally.

"It's amazing to see such an amazing turnout of teachers, principals and headteachers from across the region, to look up and speak and see that sea of red, we know there's a lot of support for this campaign," Ms McKelvie said.

Red is the colour that was chosen to drive the rally and strike which is part of the More than Thanks campaign being led by the NSW Teachers Federation.

The campaign is calling for the NSW Government to increase teachers salaries and ease their workloads by addressing teacher shortages.

"The big issue is teacher shortages, we need the government to address the problem, along with that there's the workload," Ms McKelvie said.

"Teachers are not staying in the profession because of the workload demands on them, teachers are leaving and we're not attracting people into the profession.

"University courses are down about 30 per cent in people taking up teaching training."

Ms McKelvie said they need the government to reverse the problem by attracting and obtaining more teachers.

And, it is the students that are being most affected.

"This is a problem for everyone, our students are the ones that are missing out. Our teachers working conditions are our students working conditions," Ms McKelvie said.

"We also need to thank our parent community, we've had great support from our parenting community because we all have our students best interests at heart."

The shortages are also causing teachers to work outside of their speciality, while classes are being altered to work with whatever is available.

"Teachers are having to teach outside of their subject areas, teachers are having to take on extra classes- or they're having split classes where there are extra bodies in their classroom," Ms McKelvie said.

"It's because there's nobody to cover their load on top of all the demands of teachers- and currently primary school teachers get two hours a week to do everything that's expected to them-off class- that includes having to plan, to program, to differentiate, to meet with parents and colleges.

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"And it's having a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of our teachers because the workload is just unattainable."

Teachers Federation representative Craig Jory, a Murray High School teacher, said government documents only provide evidence to what is being said.

"At the moment there's a massive teachers' shortage, in massive centres like Wagga and Albury we can't attract teachers," he said.

"Ultimately when that happens it's the students who suffer. There are children being taught by unqualified teachers and at present.

"The Government's own documents show workload and wage will not attract teachers."

Mr Jory said young students are also overlooking teaching as a profession due to its unattractiveness.

"Young students are not choosing teaching as a profession. We have situations in Albury where we have to merge classes and it's becoming very dire," he said.

In a public statement released on the morning of the strike, NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell claimed that the teachers union has caused more disruption to schools in one day by striking than COVID-19 has this term.

To that, Mr Jory responded that one day is 'small fry' compared to what is in store for the profession if the government refuses to take action.

"We're disappointed we have to strike," he said.

"If parents are concerned, and they should be, about their children missing school today, how will they be feeling over the next few years when their children will still not be able to be taught by qualified teachers?"

Mr Jory said the profession is already seeing teachers exiting, with 11,000 additional teachers required over the next ten years just to meet enrolment demands.

"What we know is teachers are starting their degree's and not finishing due to finding more appealing professions," he said.

"Teachers are definitely burnt out we've lost some really experienced teachers but also a lot of young teachers- that's something that needs to be addressed and the government certainly needs to look at the salaries and the conditions.

"The amount of micromanagement, excessive paperwork, extra responsibilities, extra accountability, it is stopping us from doing our job.

"The NSW Department of Education needs to look at and listen to teachers and listen to parents as well."

Mr Jory said cities are suffering to attract teachers, which paints a picture of what the rest of the state is facing.

"You can only imagine how hard it is getting teachers west of the divide, even places like the Temora's and the Young's," he said.

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