Queensland teachers reject state government pay offer
Hundreds of teachers rallied in Bundaberg calling for better pay and conditions in August. (ABC News: ABC Wide Bay/Johanna Marie)
In short:
Queensland Teachers' Union members have rejected a state government offer of an 8 per cent pay rise for teachers.
It comes almost three months after 50,000 teachers went on strike for the first time in 16 years.
What's next?
The union says it will consider its next move over the weekend.
Queensland Teachers' Union (QTU) members have voted against a proposed pay rise that would see teachers earn more than $100,000 a year by the end of 2028.
A majority — 67 per cent — of the union's 50,000 members voted down the state government offer on Friday afternoon, following a week of deliberations.
"This means that the campaign for improved salaries and conditions to address the teacher shortage crisis will continue," QTU general secretary Kate Ruttiman said in a social media statement.
Last week, the state government offered teachers a three-year 8 per cent pay rise.
It meant every state school teacher would earn more than $100,000 a year by the end of 2028.
It also promised a new safety taskforce to deal with violence in classrooms.
But the union stopped short of recommending the deal, opening the vote to its members.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the offer was "historic", with senior teachers to earn $135,000 and principals $200,000.
"While this is disappointing, I respect the process and will continue to engage with Queensland teachers," he said in a statement.
"While it now falls to the QTU to explain why this deal was not accepted, the government will start progressing to arbitration within the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to ensure we can reach an agreement."
John-Paul Langbroek described the offer as historic. (ABC Gold Coast: Dominic Cansdale)
It also included a $400 payment for new teachers, $100 per night to those on school camps, and a $1,000 attraction and retention payment for teachers in regional areas.
But the QTU had also consistently raised concerns over what it described as chronic understaffing.
In August, about 50,000 teachers went on strike across Queensland, after negotiations with the state government over pay and conditions broke down.
It was the first teachers' strike since 2009 and impacted on about 570,000 students and 1,266 public schools.
Teachers at Toowoomba, west of Brisbane, took part in the strike action in August. (ABC News: Nathan Morris)
Ms Ruttiman said QTU's state council would meet on Saturday to "consider the next steps in the campaign".
The ABC understands arbitration will begin in December.
Further protection industrial action could then be prevented.