Rockhampton teachers rally to protest against staffing shortages
Tired and terrified teachers at an unsafe Queensland school have taken to the streets amid staff shortages across the state. VIDEO, DETAILS
Rockhampton
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After four years of teacher shortage members have simply had enough, a union organiser told a rally of 50 people in Rockhampton.
It is a job that has shockingly become known for “violence in the workplace”, according to one parent at the protest outside the Rockhampton Department of Education Regional Office on Bolsover St on Wednesday afternoon, and educators need the community’s support more than ever before.
The three regional secondary schools started school this year with up to 11 teacher vacancies.
Later that week, QTU members voted to suspend stop-work action after the department committed to negotiate attraction and retention outcomes while fully staffing the three schools.
Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) Central Queensland organiser Dan Coxen said there were commitments from senior officers of the department that they would commit to fully staff those three schools from the start of this years.
“All of those schools started with vacancies,” he said.
Mr Coxen said North Rockhampton State High School started the year with eight of those vacancies.
Last week members from North Rockhampton State High School decided to hold a rally locally to protest the current teacher shortage.
“At no point this year has (North Rockhampton State High School) been fully staffed,” Mr Coxen said.
“It is affecting all schools across Central Queensland.
“Teachers from all schools are here today to make this issue brought to the attention of the community, highlight it and hopefully force the department to come to the party with some incentives to attract new teachers to Rocky and keep the ones we already have here.
“After four years of experiencing teacher shortages, members had simply had enough and were wondering where the end was in sight.
“The department asked us to sit down and negotiate. We have negotiated in good faith.
“The department did commit when we planned the industrial action to fully staff the schools with temporary measures.”
Mr Coxen said there were a lot of things QTU members were looking for, including attraction and retention incentives.
“We are looking for short-term solutions, we are looking for medium-term solutions and we are looking for long-term solutions to attract more people into the profession and also to keep the ones we currently have got,” he said.
“A workforce planning meeting was held in Brisbane and we talked about the problems we are facing and potential solutions and the department committed to, within three months, coming through with a range of solutions.
“Some of those are being worked through.
“One of the things we have a commitment on is any new teacher to North Rocky High is given 12 months free accommodation.
“That is working, we want to acknowledge that.”
Rockhampton parent Danny Lorraway, who had two daughters attend a local state school, spoke during the rally.
“My whole family went to Berserker State School,” he said.
“My dad and my brother had the same grade three teacher at Berserker.
“You certainly won’t get the retention rate where someone will be there for a 21 year gap between father and son. That’s scary.
“It’s scary teachers are getting attacked and there is violence in the workplace.
“Who would have thought it’s a dangerous job.
“It is vitally important we stand behind our teachers.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the department was “committed to delivering world-class education to all students, including those in the rural and remote parts of our state”.
“The department continues to work constructively and in good faith with the Queensland Teachers’ Union to attract and retain high quality teachers,” the spokesperson said.
“This includes providing 12 months housing to all new teachers commencing at North Rockhampton State High School, Sarina State High School and Biloela State High School.”
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