EB9: It's time to deliver
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 2, 15 March 2019, page no. 9
Every three years, the QTU has the opportunity to negotiate with the state government to improve the working conditions and salaries of our members.
The EB claim was forwarded to the government in early February, with the request for bargaining to commence as soon as practicable. Informal negotiations commenced in mid- February.
To date, the QTU has sought commitments around workload, recognising and valuing the work of members in promotional positions and unpacking the impact of practices that give rise to gender employment inequity.
Promotional positions
The QTU has clearly advised the department that the Promotional Positions Classification Review affirmed that principals and heads of program are worth so much more than suggested by the government formula used to measure their value. The value of a school leader takes in a range of factors, including their instructional leadership (after all how can you lead teachers without having an implicit understanding of the role, the type of understanding that can only come from having been a teacher), the way they respond to the complexities of their school community and the support they provide to students and staff.
They are the ones that ensure departmental priorities are addressed in the school, manage parents’ expectations and secure resources to support the learning needs of the students in their care. School leaders do all they can to provide a healthy and safe learning and teaching environment in the school. While not easily quantified or captured by a formula, these are the things that add to the value of their role, a value that needs to be recognised in this EB
Gender employment equity
The claim also suggests ways in which the 10 per cent gender pay gap in education can be addressed, including recognising that the only consequence of part-time work for salaries should be a reduced fraction of salary, not slowing salary progression. To address the gender superannuation gap, the QTU’s claim calls for superannuation contributions to be made on unpaid carers leave.
In recognition of the various types of family, there is also a claim for paid parental leave to be accessed by the primary carer, not just the birth or adoptive mother. These types of reforms will represent a step in the right direction toward remedying and addressing the existing gender pay gap. In a membership where 76 per cent are women, it is important that such a lens is placed on EB negotiations and the claim.
At the same time, members should take stock of what was achieved in EB8 (the current agreement) including:
- improved salaries for beginning teachers
- salaries of $101,000 p.a. for EST (the top of the salary scale for classroom teachers)
- new professional pay classifications - highly accomplished and lead teacher (and the remuneration aligned to these)
- measures to address workload, including joint statements that provide for consultation on a range of matters, such as the purpose and use of data in Queensland schools, planning, preparation and differentiation, NAPLAN, clarity around the purpose, frequency and duration of staff meetings, clarity about the use of non-contact time and clear expectations around class size targets.
To ensure that the Queensland Government knows that our members expect an EB outcome that reflects their value and recognises that they make a difference in the lives of their students and communities every day, QTU members have commenced meeting with their local MPs and will come together in a week of action from 25 March.
It is important that the government delivers on its talk and shows the value it places on our profession by improving our teaching conditions and making a salary offer that reflects our value.