Teachers asked to vote on state’s ‘best and final’ offer

State school teachers have been offered a new pay deal, with the government and union warning that if it is rejected, an alternative could take years to hash out before the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.

In the new deal, which the state has called its final offer, the government has remained firm on increasing base wages by 8 per cent over three years, and tweaked the included conditions.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the offer included significant improvements to workplace conditions.

“The wage offer is one that’s been made to all the other unions and which has been accepted by all the others, so I’d be confident that with the extra things we’ve added [teachers will accept it],” Langbroek said.

He said the offer included attraction and retention incentives – similar to those in the offer that had already been rejected – options to cash out leave, and a review of existing schemes.

The minister said the deal would also address workplace violence faced by teachers with a “safety task force that will include all the stakeholders” and new occupational violence strategy conditions.

The Queensland Teachers’ Union has asked its members to vote on the deal by the end of the week, saying it was an improvement on the offer made in June.

President Cresta Richardson said the window for voting was short to meet the government’s demands for an answer this month. Otherwise, backpay from October 1 was off the table.

If the dispute enters arbitration, the Industrial Relations Commission would hear the matter, which Richardson said would not kick off until December.

“Arbitration is a process that could take up to two years, we could win some things, we could lose some things,” she said.

“That’s why we’re really asking members to duly consider all of the options that are open to them.”

Langbroek said the offer had honoured the LNP’s election commitment to deliver “nation-leading wages” for Queensland teachers, despite the proposed wage increase remaining the same as the previous offer, which sparked a one-day strike.

“When it comes to more pay, what this agreement means is that every teacher currently in Queensland classrooms by the end of this agreement will be earning at least $100,000,” he said.

“Senior teachers will be earning $135,000 and principals more than $200,000.”

Richardson said the union’s calculations were different.

“We are of the understanding that teachers might be at about $95,000 when they come in, so obviously we’d be happy to be incorrect on that if they’re all on $100,000,” she said.

She said the new senior teaching role offered by the state could translate into a wage increase for between 30 and 50 per cent of members, and welcomed the occupational violence measures included in the new offer.

“The development of a workplace health and safety taskforce is a really good opportunity for our members,” she said. “We need to see meaningful change on this.”

Richardson said if the offer was accepted, she expected the government to be accountable for their promises.

“The health and safety taskforce is a step in the right direction, but how is that going to be reported on, what are the time frames, [and] how is it going to be measured?” she said.

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