School’s out: Parents asked to keep kids home as Qld teachers stage mass walkout

Queensland families are being encouraged to keep half a million state primary and high school students at home next Wednesday as teachers walk out for the first time in 16 years.

About 95 per cent of Queensland Teachers’ Union members voted to walk off the job for 24 hours on Wednesday next week amid negotiations over pay and conditions with the state government – the first strike for the union in 16 years.

And the Wednesday strike is likely to be one of many, with the union warning “a series of 24-hour strikes are impending”.

Queensland Teachers Union members have decided to strike next Wednesday, and have urged parents to keep their children home.Credit: Getty Images

On Wednesday morning, the union urged Queenslanders to “stand with us at this crucial time”, arguing schools were critically understaffed and teachers and school leaders were burning out.

“If you have children, please keep them at home on Wednesday,” the union said on social media.

“We do not do this lightly. We have been left with no choice because education in this state is at breaking point.”

The union said the government’s offer showed little respect for teachers’ essential work and would reduce them to some of the lowest paid in Australia.

QTU general secretary Kate Ruttiman said the state’s teacher shortage caused staff losses through burnout, which added to the workload of remaining teachers.

“Then add in growing occupational violence and aggression,” she said.

Brisbane state schools have emailed parents to say children will be supervised if they arrive at school, as principals work out how many non-union members they have available to work.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek promised there would be adequate supervision for students who attended school during the teacher strike.

Despite the union encouraging parents to keep their children at home, Langbroek said: “We want students to come to school.”

“That’s going to be up to individual principals to make the appropriate arrangements,” he said.

“Students will be safe, they’ll be supervised, and we’re encouraging students to still come to school.”

Langbroek said he wanted to make sure teachers were well remunerated and respected.

Queensland Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said he wanted students to come to school.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

“That’s something that we’ve made sure [of] over 17 meetings over five months,” he said. “We’ve made a couple of offers to the teachers’ union and then of course, they have been rejected.”

Caloundra State School Principal Brendan Bopf said the school would be open for supervision, supported by teacher aides.

Bopf said he did not know how many of his teachers would be on strike next week, but noted union membership at the school was “pretty close to 100 per cent”.

Teachers and school leaders planned to rally in Toowoomba on Wednesday afternoon.

The union has argued the government’s current three-year 8 per cent offer would result in Queensland teachers being among the lowest paid in the country.

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