Queensland teachers to strike en-masse for the first time in 16 years over pay

About a third of one state’s teachers will down tools and strike over a pay dispute on August 6, with schools to operate at a limited capacity.

Tens of thousands of Queensland teachers won’t be turning up to school on August 6 in the first industrial action taken by members of the union since 2009.

The Queensland Teacher’s Union (QTU) has been in talks with the Crisafulli-led LNP government for months over a pay dispute, which came to loggerheads in June when the QTU outright rejected the government’s offer of incremental salary increases by 3, 2.5 and 2.5 per cent over three years.

Almost 37,000 teachers out of the 38,243 members of the union voted to go ahead with the strike, in an overwhelming display of support for the cause.

The remaining, non-unionised teachers, who make up roughly two thirds of the entire state’s teaching force, will remain at work.

QTU President Cresta Richardson says staffing of schools is an ongoing issue, which could have dire effects on communities and families.

Schools in Queenland are consistently struggling to fill teaching roles. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

“The teacher shortage crisis is real, and at a breaking point,” she said.

“Numbers don’t lie. Schools are short on teachers, our members are working longer hours unpaid, and we have cost of living and inflation to account for. These are genuine, widespread issues that won’t solve themselves.

“We are not doing this for ourselves. Teachers and school leaders are resources, and the government needs to support our schools. Parents, caregivers and students deserve what their taxes pay for, not government excuses.”

Speaking to the Courier Mail, a Brisbane teacher named Damion Douglass said educators in Queensland schools had been “carrying a broken system” on their backs, “while being told to sit tight and smile through it”.

“We’ve spoken. We’ve written letters. We’ve marched in unity. We’ve stayed late, showed up tired, covered the gaps, and absorbed the pressure. And in return, we get a reminder that our pay will be docked if we make noise,” he said.

Schools will be open with limited capacity on August 6, and negotiations continue between the QTU and the Queensland Government.