Queensland teacher strike averted as State Government strikes deal with union
A teachers’ strike has been avoided with the union set to vote on a deal that includes a one-off sign-on bonus worth more than $1000, and which will see top teachers earning more than $110,000 by the end of the agreement.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A LOOMING teachers’ strike has been avoided with the Palaszczuk Government striking a deal with the Queensland Teacher’s Union.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk took to Twitter to announce the enterprise bargaining deal.
Teachers across the state had voted to walk out of the classroom on July 18 if a deal was not reached.
The union was asking for a 4.5 per cent pay increase as part of an overhaul of the teacher classification system, among other demands,
The deal includes a 2.5 per cent pay increase as well as a one-off $1250 sign-on bonus to agree to the deal.
Teachers will also be offered a one-off $1000 bonus to go bush, available from next year.
A new classification structure will be brought in for principals and deputy principals.
The State’s wages policy is set at 2.5 per cent.
The deal will cost taxpayers $1 billion over three years.
“By the end of this agreement our top teachers will be earning $110,500 per year,” Education Minister Grace Grace said.
“In addition they can also apply to be recognised as highly accomplished teacher or lead teacher, with salaries for these classifications rising to over $117,000 and $128,000 respectively from July 2021.”
About 30,000 teachers will be eligible for the $1250 sign-on bonus.
Ms Grace said the deal, if accepted, would mean executive principals will attract a salary of about $211,000 - the highest paid in the country.
They will also get a range of other benefit improvements like better super and vehicle allowance.
Queensland Teachers’ Union President Kevin Bates said the deal would now be put to teachers.
He said members would vote tomorrow on whether or not the strike would continue.
“We will be recommending to our members that the strike to be deferred,” Mr Bates said.
Members will then be balloted on the final deal and whether the strike will be called off completely.
That is expected to happen by the end of the month.
Ms Grace said it was the government’s expectation that the strike would be called off.
“At the end of the day the delegates make the decision but this is a very good deal. It’s the Government’s expectation that it (the strike) will be averted but obviously subject to delegates agreeing to that,” she said.
Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington says she hopes there will be an outcome today when the Queensland Teachers’ Union decides whether to accept the State Government’s EBA offer.
The union will decide whether the $1 billion, three-year pay deal - announced yesterday - is enough to defer a planned statewide 24 hour strike on July 18.
Ms Frecklington said Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had been unable to work with state school teachers in Queensland.
“What I’d like to see is an outcome,” she said.
“It is incredible that it has had to get to this crunch point before Annastacia Palaszczuk wakes up and listens.
“If a strike goes ahead it’s pretty clear that Grace Grace as Education Minister has failed.”
$135m health bungle: Minister’s apology to affected businesses
Health Minister Steven Miles has apologised to businesses that have suffered delays because of the new Queensland Health payment system.
Hundreds of staff underpaid at Queensland utility
A Queensland Government-owned utility corporation has underpaid hundreds of its senior staff for more than a decade in a bungle that could have ripped off up to a quarter of its workforce.