The Queensland Government will apply to the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) today to cancel planned industrial action by the state's teachers. The Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) has apologized to parents for changing the date of the strike, which will now involve up to 44,000 teaching staff at 1,300 schools on August 5.
Teachers in far north Queensland had been scheduled to stop work this Thursday, but after rejecting the government's latest offer, the QTU announced that regional teachers will join their Brisbane counterparts in a statewide strike. Education Minister Geoff Wilson said the government will ask the IRC to stop the strike and go to arbitration if necessary, adding that he will not be intimidated by the union over the ongoing wage dispute.
Premier Anna Bligh urged the QTU to accept the three-year, 12.5 per cent pay deal, stating it would make Queensland teachers the second highest paid in the country. Opposition Leader John-Paul Langbroek said the teachers clearly believe they deserve a bigger pay rise and called for the matter to be sent to arbitration.
QTU vice-president Julie Brown explained that the date change was necessary to give parents adequate notice. She apologized for the inconvenience but said the union was forced into the position. She hopes parents will support teachers by keeping their children at home on August 5.
Margaret Black from the Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations welcomed the cancellation of strikes planned for this week, noting that finding alternate care on short notice was almost impossible. She expressed support for arbitration to resolve the dispute.
