Qld: Hundreds of Qld teachers protest outside Parliament House

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2009
Qld: Hundreds of Qld teachers protest outside Parliament House

By David Barbeler

BRISBANE, Aug 5 AAP - More than 300 teachers have rallied outside Queensland's parliament
to protest against the state government's refusal to further negotiate wage increases.

The Wednesday afternoon protest on George St in Brisbane was initially planned to be
a statewide teachers' strike before it was deemed illegal by the Queensland Industrial
Relations Commission.

The government has offered a 12.5 per cent pay rise over three years, but the teachers
want a higher increase, which includes up to 18 per cent over three years for some of
its members.

Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) president Steve Ryan said they had placed an application
before the commission asking for an interim one year pay increase of 5.4 per cent while
arbitration was being conducted.

Mr Ryan said he could not understand the government's four per cent interim offer,
saying teachers had already lost two months of their entitled pay increase due to the
negotiations.

He said the 5.4 per cent interim increase would equate to the government's original
4.5 per cent offer.

Mr Ryan also warned that while teachers could no longer strike, the QTU had plenty
of other tricks up their sleeve.

Queensland Independent Education Union general secretary Terry Burke said his members
would stand by the QTU as it sent the benchmark for teachers' pay across Queensland.

"Clearly we have to negotiate with our own employers, but our employers are always
very mindful of what happens in the public sector," he said.

Opposition education and training spokesman Bruce Flegg said the unfriendly brawl was
only harming teacher morale and retention.

"The length of time that has now passed with no increase allows the government a bit
of room to show some goodwill to teachers in relation to the interim increase that is
needed to be settled prior to arbitration," he said.

Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson said he was pleased the teachers' rally
did not disrupt Queensland students or working families.

"I'll be meeting with a delegation from the union this afternoon," he said.

"Although the independent umpire is in charge of arbitration - my door is always open
to the Queensland Teachers' Union."

The commission has asked the parties to report back on August 20 on progress in identifying
the final matters to be arbitrated.

AAP djb/jlw

KEYWORD: TEACHERS QLD WRAP (RESTORES KEYWORD)

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