Thousands of private school teachers in Queensland walked off the job this morning – but just for five minutes.
Teachers from 34 schools in Brisbane and regional Queensland stopped work from 8.30am to 8.35am, striking over a dispute about wage and work conditions.
Strike actions will continue throughout the day, with teachers wearing campaign stickers while on the job and not attending most work meetings.
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The Independent Education Union Queensland branch secretary Terry Burke said employers were planning to ballot a new workplace agreement the union hadn’t agreed to.
He urged the school system to return to negotiations.
“Members are not convinced employers are addressing key issues in schools,” he said
“They are taking the action as part of a campaign to address the workload crisis that is seeing teachers leave the sector in droves.”
The Queensland Catholic Education Commission said an 8.75 per cent wage and other payments increase was offered.
“As part of recent negotiation processes, the union had accepted that formal negotiations were finalised as they had progressed as far as they could and that employers would be arranging an employee vote on proposed agreements,” a spokesperson for the employer’s group said.
“Employers have recently raised concerns with the union about misrepresenting the status of items in negotiations in their communications with members encouraging them to take action.”
If accepted, teachers would receive a four per cent wage increase and a three per cent cost-of-living payment in 2023 under the offer.
A 1.75 per cent increase in super payments would also be offered under the deal.