QTU committees: Working Conditions

Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 8, 6 November 2020, page no. 10

The Working Conditions Committee has as its key responsibility developments in salaries and working conditions of members.  

Chaired by Beck Humphreys, the committee has responsibility for the class sizes and working conditions policies of the QTU, and is comprised of members from all classifications and from across the state.  

We asked the members of the Working Conditions Committee to tell us why they believe that the work of the committee is important and why it resonates with them. 

"The Working Conditions Committee undertakes important work in proactively and reactively ensuring that members workload and support is continually monitored, maintained and where possible, improved, in a rapidly changing educational environment." Chris Capra - executive principal / Principal Union Rep

"I am a firm believer that workload cannot be addressed unless the working conditions which have been fought for and won are implemented across the state. The Working Conditions Committee provides me with an opportunity to contribute to QTU policy to enact this." Josh Cleary - deputy principal/QTU Executive Member

"Working conditions are our teaching conditions. For me, involvement in the Working Conditions Committee affords professional conversation on current issues and the next steps in making positive change for members through policy and negotiations." Mel de Waard - experienced senior teacher / acting QTU Research Officer

"Working conditions in the teaching profession have always been my priority, as without these, our role in schools is heavily impacted.  As a new member of the Working Conditions Committee, I am dedicated to providing input and knowledge that addresses the current issues in our workplace." Shelley Gardner - senior teacher / Union Rep

"The Working Conditions Committee provides me with an opportunity to respond to member issues around workload and raise concerns around which issues need to be addressed in EB negotiations." Beck Humphreys - senior teacher / QTU Executive Member

"Being on the Working Conditions Committee allows me to actively participate in decision making regarding policy, campaigns and industrial action and allows my voice, which represents part of the special education community, to be heard." Kate Kermode - classroom teacher (special education)/Union Rep

"The industrial rights that we work under were hard fought for. It’s important that as a profession we ensure that our physical and mental wellbeing is prioritised through policies and industrial instruments, and the Working Conditions Committee does that." Natalie Montague-Clarke - senior teacher / QTU Executive Member

"As a teacher with a diverse set of experiences, the Working Conditions Committee presents a privileged opportunity to actively engage in QTU processes that work towards addressing member concerns. Providing advice on how best to address these concerns through policy, industrial and EB campaigns can be challenging, but is rewarding." Giau Nguyen - senior teacher / Union Rep

"Being on the Working Conditions Committee provides me with the opportunity to advocate on behalf of our primary specialist and classroom teacher members" Ginny Salmon - music specialist teacher / Union Rep