Teachers reject hefty pay rise and reduced workloads

Robyn Wuth |

The Queensland Teachers Union’s 51,500 members have voted down a proposed pay deal.
The Queensland Teachers Union’s 51,500 members have voted down a proposed pay deal.

Teachers have rejected a state government’s pay deal that would have made them among the country’s highest-paid educators, saying it wasn’t enough to entice more staff into classrooms.

The Queensland government’s proposal guaranteed every classroom teacher would earn more than $100,000 annually by November 2028.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said it was a historic offer that backed teachers with higher wages, better conditions and reduced workloads.

Queensland Minister for Education John-Paul Langbroek
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek says he will continue to engage with teachers. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)

The Queensland Teachers Union’s 51,500 members voted down the deal on Friday, sending both parties back to the drawing board. 

“While this is disappointing, I respect the process and will continue to engage with Queensland teachers,” Mr Langbroek said. 

“It now falls to the QTU to explain why this deal was not accepted.” 

The deal was rejected by a two-thirds majority – 67.6 per cent of voters.

“The QTU has said from the outset of negotiations, serious reform is needed to address the teacher shortage crisis, occupational violence and aggression and reduce crippling workload,” the union said in a statement. 

The union’s senior leadership will meet on Saturday to develop a new lesson plan, while the education minister refers negotiations to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission. 

A young student supporting teachers on strike in Queensland
Queensland teachers went on strike in August over pay and conditions for the first time since 2009. (Darren England/AAP PHOTOS)

Under the proposed three-year deal, classroom teachers would be paid $135,000, plus super and incentives, by the end of the agreement.

Average principal salaries would rise to more than $200,000 plus super, and a new safety task force would be implemented to stamp out violence.

The government will also make $1000 attraction and retention payments in regional areas, along with $400 payments for new teachers at the start of their careers.

Teachers walked off the job in August over pay and conditions for the first time since 2009 after negotiations with the government broke down.

In June, the Queensland Teachers Union rejected an offer of three per cent, 2.5 per cent and 2.5 per cent salary increases respectively across the next three years.

AAP