Pay deferral update
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 5, 10 July 2020, page no.13
Over the past month, we have seen many QTU members make contact with their local state Member of Parliament to express their concerns about the Palaszczuk government’s proposal for a pay freeze for public servants.
This demonstrated to all politicians, no matter their party, the willingness of QTU members to engage with politicians in a constructive and genuine way. Congratulations to everyone who made the effort to get active and contact their MP by email or phone.
Although the government progressed with its “least worse” option of deferring the scheduled 1 July 2020 salary increases to 1 July 2021 and the 1 July 2021 increases to 1 January 2022, it was not without significant pressure and internal discussions within the government about the impact it would have on QTU members, who have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not only did members of the QTU continue working so that the children of our wonderful health professionals could continue to go to work saving lives, we also managed to roll out remote learning models in a very short timeframe.
It is safe to say that QTU members were somewhat shocked when the public gratitude they received from their employer for their work during the pandemic was suddenly replaced with a policy to freeze their salary for 18 months. To rub salt into the pay freeze wound, Catholic school teachers are currently balloting to accept their EB offer, which will see them receive a scheduled 2.5 per cent pay increase on 1 July 2020 with no freeze or deferral of salary. This means that teachers in the Catholic system will be paid more than their colleagues in state schools across the next 18 months.
It should be remembered that the state government, through the basket nexus funding model, provides Catholic Education with just over 20 per cent for every dollar spent in state schools per student. This model was initially set up in the early years of enterprise bargaining, when the Catholic system needed funding support to match the salary increases achieved in state schools. The irony is not lost on us that QTU members face a salary freeze/deferral while the salary subsidy continues to flow to the Catholic system unabated.
At the time of writing, final preparations are being put in place for virtual member briefings using the Zoom platform, which will occur across the state in the first week of Term 3. These meetings will provide an update on the planned ballot of members between 20 and 24 July, which will decide QTU members’ response to the actions of their employer in taking the extraordinary step of legislating to amend our current certified agreement; and therefore undermining the good faith nature of any future agreement.
Because of ongoing social distancing requirements, this will also be the first time we have conducted a statewide individual digital ballot. The virtual member briefings will substitute for the workplace or area meetings we would usually conduct prior to a statewide ballot of members.
To ensure maximum participation, I would encourage all members to log in to MyQTU and ensure that your contact details and preferred email address are up to date. This can be done by heading to: https://www.qtu.asn.au/login
Each member will receive an invite to the meetings in their local area. It is important to RSVP for the meeting you wish to attend so that the meeting login and password details can be emailed to your preferred email address.
Member ballot briefings
Tue 14 July
Brisbane - Metro Central: 4pm
Brisbane - Metro North: 7.30pm
Brisbane - Metro South: 4pm
Brisbane - Redlands Logan: 4pm
Central Queensland: 5pm
Far North Queensland: 4pm
Gold Coast: 7.30pm
North Queensland: 7.30pm
Wide Bay: 7.30pm
TAFE: 7.30am
Wed 15 July
Brisbane - Metro Central: 7.30pm
Brisbane - Metro South: 7.30pm
Brisbane - Metro West Logan: 4pm
Brisbane - Redlands Logan: 7am
Central Queensland: 5pm
Far North Queensland: 7.30pm
North Queensland: 4pm
South Queensland: 4.30pm
Sunshine Coast: 4pm
Wide Bay: 4pm
TAFE: 7.30am, 12pm
Thu 16 July
Brisbane - Metro Central: 4pm
Brisbane - Metro North: 4pm, 7.30pm
Brisbane - Metro South: 7.30pm
Brisbane - Metro West Logan: 7.30pm
Brisbane - Redlands Logan: 4pm
Central Queensland: 5pm
Gold Coast: 7am, 7.30pm
South Queensland: 4.30pm
Sunshine Coast: 7.30pm
Wide Bay: 7am
TAFE: 12pm
For more information www.qtu.asn.au/ballotbriefings