Queensland Teachers Strike Again Over Pay and Conditions
Queensland is witnessing its second major teachers’ strike of the year, as thousands of educators have walked off the job, leaving classrooms empty and end-of-year exams disrupted. Today, rallies are being staged across the state, with the biggest gatherings expected in Brisbane’s CBD, as well as in Cairns, Townsville, the Gold Coast, the Sunshine Coast, and Toowoomba. Parents and guardians have been urged to make alternative plans for their children and to show support for teachers during this critical campaign.
The Queensland Teachers’ Union, or QTU, has made it clear that the proposed enterprise agreement, which includes an 8 per cent wage increase over three years, fails to address the core concerns of its members. Key issues include workplace safety, with incidents of classroom violence on the rise, as well as severe staff shortages and high rates of teacher attrition. Despite the government’s insistence that the offer represents its “best and final” proposal, the union says these problems have been downplayed and ignored.
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QTU president Cresta Richardson did not hold back, stating that the premier could have avoided this strike by simply agreeing to arbitration on the union’s basic, reasonable requests. She warned that Queensland is running out of teachers and that urgent action is needed to prevent a significant deterioration in how state schools operate. The union has also indicated that a third strike could be on the horizon, though industrial action will be paused once arbitration begins.
The strike is expected to impact more than 500,000 students across around 1,200 state schools, with year 10 and 11 exams at 109 schools specifically affected. Many schools have postponed exams, while other events such as swimming carnivals, awards nights, and school camps have also been cancelled. Principals and parents are being left to supervise students, and in most cases, only basic supervision will be provided.
The state government has encouraged the union to move directly to arbitration, suggesting that an early resolution could even be reached before Christmas. Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie emphasized that arbitration could relieve students’ stress and allow teachers and schools to move forward, but Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek criticized the union for “moving the goalposts,” arguing that the focus has shifted from wages to broader conditions. He noted that the last offer is no longer on the table and warned against unnecessary scaremongering about potential outcomes.
While the government has offered additional incentives, including a senior teacher pay bracket and anti-violence measures, the QTU believes these measures do not sufficiently address the systemic issues affecting Queensland schools. As the industrial dispute moves toward arbitration at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission at the end of December, the eyes of parents, students, and teachers alike remain fixed on how quickly a resolution can be reached and whether the government will adequately meet the pressing needs of its educators.
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