Queensland teachers considering further strike action as pay negotiations continue

Australia Broadcast Center

5 days ago

Queensland teachers have given the government until the end of the month to offer a better pay deal or face further teacher strikes.
More than 50,000 teachers walked off the job last Wednesday after negotiations with the government broke down.
That was in response to an offer of an 8 per cent pay increas over the next three years — a deal the QTU president Cresta Richardson last week said would have made Queensland teachers the "lowest paid in the country".
In a letter to Queensland Teachers Union members seen by the ABC, general secretary Kate Ruttiman said if a "reasonable offer" was not made by August 29, the union will vote on a date for another 24-hour work stoppage.
She said resolutions carried at strike rallies across the state last Wednesday showed strong support for another 24-hour strike if a better offer wasn't made.
"In considering these resolutions, QTU Executive determined that, should a reasonable offer not be made by Friday 29 August … QTU State Council will choose the date for the next statewide 24-hour stoppage."
The letter confirmed the ultimatum had been communicated to the education department and the government.
The union must provide seven days notice for protected strike action.
QTU vice president Leah Olsen said the union was treating strike action as a "last resort" option to push for a better deal.
"We do not take industrial action lightly. It's been 16 years since the QTU teachers and school leaders have taken state-wide action," she said.
The QTU state council is expected to meet on August 30 and will discuss the potential for further 24-hour work stoppages, Ms Olsen said.
"We won't have a decision until two weeks' time of how that action [sic] and what that action's going to look like across the state."
Ms Olsen said the union was asking for salaries "among the highest paid in the country" and better work conditions as part of their negotiation.
"We need to make sure we've got attraction and retention so people are coming into our schools and staying in our schools, and we also need to make sure that we have safe and healthy workplaces," she said.
"Further strike action during school hours can be avoided if the government delivers a package members see value in."
In a statement, Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the government remains in "good faith" negotiations with the union.
"The conciliation process has started through the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, and we remain at the table to finalise an agreement that ensures our teachers are well remunerated and respected," he said.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles said the government has treated teachers with "complete disrespect".
"[Mr Langbroek] has entirely dropped the ball and what we've seen is that when the premier cares about a group of public servants he can intervene and get an EBA done," he said.
"If Queensland parents have to go to the inconvenience again of finding care arrangements for their kids, because our teachers have been forced to strike again, well the responsibility for that will rest with the education minister and the premier."