Teachers asked to vote on state’s ‘best and final’ offer
Public school teachers have been offered a new pay deal and the Queensland government has said it will refer the dispute to arbitration at the Industrial Relations Commission if it is not agreed by the end of the week.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the government’s latest proposal contains significant additions, but they are committed to increasing basic wages by 8 percent within three years.
“The pay offer has been made to all the other unions and accepted by the others, so I’m sure it will go up with the extra things we add [teachers will accept it]” said Langbroek.
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer
He said the proposal includes attraction and retention incentives, options to cash out permits and a review of existing plans, similar to those in the proposal that has already been rejected.
The agreement will also address workplace violence faced by teachers with the terms of a “safety task force that will include all stakeholders” and a new professional strategy, the minister said.
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The Queensland Teachers Union has asked its members to vote on the deal by the end of the week, saying it is an improvement on the proposal made in June. If approved, the state will reimburse teachers starting October 1.
The union called on the government to provide a more detailed timeframe for when the incentives set out in the proposal would come into force.
If the dispute goes to arbitration, the Industrial Relations Commission will discuss the matter and this is expected to continue into the new year.
