From the General Secretary's desk, 2 February 2024 | Open PDF
Teachers Suspend Stop Work Action
Members at North Rockhampton, Biloela, and Sarina State High Schools have suspended their scheduled stop-work action after the Department of Education committed to addressing their critical teacher shortages.
Members had voted for one-hour stop work action when, for the fourth year in a row, the three schools each started the academic school year with fewer teachers than they are entitled to under the allocative model.
However, after intensive talks with the QTU, the department has committed to a stakeholder forum to resolve the shortages, as well as ensuring that the schools are fully staffed in the interim.
In response to the department’s offer, member meetings earlier this week voted to suspend the action for three months. This is an act of good faith, to provide time for the department to put in place a range of incentives and workforce arrangements to address the critical teacher shortages.
QTU members have been clear that they expect the stakeholder forums over the next three months to provide tangible solutions to these staffing deficiencies, which have a huge impact on timetabling, teacher and school leader entitlements, and programming, not to mention their psychosocial health.
The QTU acknowledges and applauds members’ efforts in addressing their concerns, and we look forward to working with members and the department to resolve these issues.
Kate Ruttiman
QTU General Secretary
Authorised by Kate Ruttiman, General Secretary, Queensland Teachers' Union
21 Graham Street, Milton, QLD, Australia, 4064