"We have taken care to ensure that this new claim is affordable while addressing the deficiencies in the government's most recent offer," AEU president Helen Richardson said.

She said an agreed 'nation-leading' reduction in workload for primary teachers in 2020 is being put at risk by delays, as the promised recruitment of specialist teachers requires an agreement to be finalised ahead of time.

"We have now requested meetings with the Premier in writing four times in three weeks and not one has been responded to - delaying overdue pay rises and putting desperately needed education improvements at risk," she said.

But Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the latest communications from the union "cannot be believed".

"Worse still, the AEU has prevented their members from receiving a long overdue pay rise by reneging on a deal which had, in their own words, 70 per cent member support," he said.

"The government position is that the matter should now be taken to the Tasmanian Industrial Commission for arbitration because we will not accept further delays to progressing the now overdue pay rise for our employees."

Meanwhile, the Community and Public Sector Union has asked Premier Will Hodgman for assurances that arbitration over a wage dispute with the government can be finalised by December.

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