Queensland teachers strike for fair pay

Chants of "Hardest working, lowest paid: Bligh and Wilson, be ashamed!" rang out from 4000 teachers at the gates of state parliament on May 19.

The Brisbane teachers were among thousands across the state who took strike action in opposition to the Queensland Labor government's pay offer. Only 3% of teachers went to work on the day of the protest.

Education minister Geoff Wilson has defended the offer of 12.5% over three years as "generous" in "tough economic times".

The Queensland Teachers' Union points out that it would keep the teachers among the lowest paid in Australia. QTU general secretary John Battams said the government's logic is not consistent, since teachers were never rewarded in "the good times".

Earlier, Battams told 4000 teachers at the Brisbane Convention Centre that, since the union campaign had begun, the QTU had a spike in membership applications, as 1400 more teachers became union members. The QTU is now the biggest union in the state.

Meetings at almost 50 centres across the state overwhelmingly adopted resolutions that condemned the government's offer. It called on the government to ensure Queensland teachers are paid at a commensurate rate with other states. If such agreement can't be reached, the motion supported further industrial action including possible strikes, work-bans, non-cooperation with department initiatives and public protests.

Despite efforts by the government to argue that parents would oppose the strike, many parents voiced strong support for the teachers' actions, in recognition of the importance of valuing the profession.

Robyn Williams, a mother, told the Courier Mail on May 20, "they should pay the politicians what they pay the teachers, and pay the teachers what they pay the politicians".

From GLW issue 796