Teachers union slams Beattie over strike ban

BY BILL MASON

BRISBANE — Queensland Teachers Union president Julie-Ann McCullough has slammed Labor Premier Peter Beattie's government after the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) ordered the QTU to end its campaign of rolling stoppages in support of its claims for increased pay and reduced class sizes.

On March 25, the QIRC accepted an application by the government that under the Industrial Relations Act a decision by the commission to arbitrate the dispute made further industrial action unlawful.

McCullough accused the government of being "anti-worker" and likened Beattie to former National Party premier and notorious union-basher Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen. She also threatened to launch union advertisements critical of the government in the coming Maryborough by-election and in the lead-up to next year's state election.

The QTU is also shocked by a state government plan to redeploy 200 teachers from special remedial reading programs and elsewhere to direct classroom teaching as part of moves to reduce class sizes.

The government plan is well short of the demand by the QTU for at least 800 additional teachers over and above normal growth to assist in cutting the state education system's oversized classes.

From Green Left Weekly, April 2, 2003.

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From GLW issue 532