Teachers strike, plan more action
BY ALEX ROBINSON
BRISBANE — Queensland's teachers struck for 24 hours on June 14 in support of demands by the Queensland Teachers Union for an 8% per year pay rise, decreased class sizes and more resources for children with special needs.
Teachers say that the current average class size of 30 is too large for quality teaching and that government cuts have made greater attention to students with special needs impossible.
Peter Beattie's state Labor government is offering the QTU only a 3% pay increase and no action on either class sizes or services for special needs students.
At a QTU stop-work meeting, attended by 2000 teachers, union officials accused the state Labor government of hypocrisy, recalling Beattie's statements when, as opposition leader, he criticised the then Coalition state government for only offering teachers a 4% rise.
Teachers unanimously adopted motions put by their leadership for the government to commence genuine negotiations on class sizes and special needs students, endorsing a continuation of the campaign and calling for a mid-July ballot on intensified strike action.
Teachers also sent a message to the NSW Teachers Federation, congratulating it on the successful resolution of their 15-month dispute.
Motions put by teachers who were members of the International Socialist Organisation, for more immediate strike action and a march, were narrowly defeated.
Union leaders say the strike and preceding actions were the best attended and most enthusiastic for many years. Plans are already set for further rolling 24-hour strikes during July, if the government continues to refuse to negotiate.