Elizabeth Voneiff and Selina Venier
Last Tuesday, November 25, over 50 members of the Warwick Branch of the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) attended a rally at the Warwick RSL. In Stanthorpe, QTU members numbering about 15 marched as well.
It was a peaceful march starting from the Warwick RSL and ending in Leslie Park. In Stanthorpe, members also gathered at the RSL before heading out into the community, walking peaceful up and down Maryland Street. Members of other public unions were also invited. Guests and supporters were asked to wear maroon, the official campaign colour.
According to a statement by local union members, “Despite the Premier personally promising to intervene in the EB process, good faith negotiations have come to a standstill, with the LNP threatening to remove working conditions that have been secured in previous EB (Enterprise Bargaining) processes.”
In late October, the Queensland Teachers’ Union members rejected a a state government offer of an 8 percent pay rise. The increase would have seen teachers earn more than $100,000 a year by the end of 2028. The state government also promised a new safety taskforce to deal with violence in classrooms.
The union, however, did not accept the offer with 67 percent of members voting it down.
At the time, Minister for Education, John-Paul Langbroek called the decision “disappointing”.
The Warwick branch meeting was part of a statewide strike by QTU members that was “overwhelmingly supported” as a means to protest against the Crisafulli government’s failure to follow through on their promises to meet the EB11 five areas of interest.
Four speakers from different sectors and local schools, including Roy Nott, Rhianne White, Zita Hooke and Ros Hibberd addressed the rally, describing how the teacher shortage crisis, underfunding and resourcing of schools, increased rates of occupational violence and aggression and behaviour management personally impact them and their workplaces. The meeting then overwhelmingly passed three resolutions:
1. That this meeting of QTU members condemns the state government for failing to make an acceptable offer to the QTU for Queensland teachers and school leaders in relation to salaries and other aspects of the QTU’s claim including ensuring safe and healthy workplaces free from occupational violence and aggression (including gendered violence); initiatives to attract and retain teachers; and properly resourced schools.
2. That this meeting calls on the Premier to intervene in the negotiations to reach agreement with the QTU on a replacement collective agreement which delivers renumeration tht both recognises the professional qualifications of members and attracts and retains teachers and school leaders, a well as delivers on the state government’s election commitment to solve the teacher shortage crisis and address occupational violence and aggression.
3. That this meeting of QTU members strongly supports an ongoing campaign throughout the remainder of 2025 and 2026 including further rallies across Queensland and “Maroon Mondays” to ensure that our campaign for improved conditions and salaries continues to be visible to each other and our communities.
Warwick QTU Branch President, Linda Sharman-Bowman encouraged members to stand firm in solidarity, to keep the EB11 Campaign strong. Members finished the meeting by walking around the block in single file chanting “state school teachers are great school teachers”, and were visibly supported by members of the public who clapped, cheered and tooted horns in support.
“Teachers do not take striking lightly," she said. "Teaching has become increasingly complex over the last few years with a large number of teachers leaving the profession within their first five years. It means daily navigating problems that arise directly from the teacher shortage crisis, managing complex behaviour issues, struggling with chronic under resourcing and drowning in a never-ending pool of compliance tasks.
"The Warwick branch hopes that today’s meetings, held around the state, will highlight the plight of the profession that creates every other profession, and encourage Premier Crisafulli to fulfil his promise to personally intervene to support teachers with a fair and reasonable EB (Enterprise Bargaining) package.”
