Frustrated Queensland Teachers’ Union members in Logan and Beaudesert are to vote on stop work action following the state government’s failure to supply the resources the area’s complex schools so badly need.

In July, 350 QTU members voted unanimously to stage workplace ballots for a round of one-hour stoppages, if the state government did not announce a satisfactory response to the Union’s Meeting the Challenge campaign against the “one size fits all” funding model of the Queensland Government. No such response has been forthcoming.

A strong, clear message must be sent to the Bligh government. Stop work action will show them that teachers can no longer cope under the current conditions. Our state’s most socio-economically complex schools have to be resourced on the basis of need, not just on student enrolments.

This is the reality confronting teachers in Logan/Beaudesert:

• up to one in six students in a school are identified as having a disability 
• up to 60 per cent of students do not meet literacy or numeracy benchmarks 
• there are significant behavioural referrals 
• there is only one Positive Learning Centre for the area 
• other programs are oversubscribed with lengthy waiting lists.

There are serious problems attracting experienced staff and ensuring teachers can transfer to other locations after service in these extremely challenging schools.

The state government is fully aware of the immense disadvantage in some communities, but as the last state budget indicates, they are not prepared to put any real money into the schools with greatest need.

Our students, teachers and parents deserve more in the “smart state”. Teachers are doing their utmost to ensure that students in Logan and Beaudesert can reach their potential, but can only struggle for so long with so little support.

QTU meetings and ballots should be conducted as soon as possible, but no later than Thursday, September 4.

Please forward the ballot return to the QTU as soon as it is completed .

The materials you need for your stop work ballot (meeting and ballot guidelines, ballot paper and ballot return form) can be found here.

Contact your Organiser if you require assistance.

[page updated 23 Aug 08]