Council responds to PPCR report
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 3, 23 April 2019, page no. 11
On 9 March, QTU State Council considered the outcomes of the Promotional Positions Classification Review (PPCR).
It unanimously adopted an initial QTU response to the department’s PPCR report. It also considered a series of recommendations developed by the QTU’s Education Leaders Committee (16 full-time principals and deputy principals). These formed the basis of the Council resolutions (see below), with some deferred for further consideration.
State Council highlighted that:
- the report is a departmental document and is not endorsed by the QTU
- parity between sectors is a principle that should be addressed in negotiations
- reliance on evaluations using the same job evaluation methodology will largely replicate the current structure and reflect historical resource allocations
- a number of principal positions in specialised settings (eg. OEECs, detention centres, hospital schools) are not properly evaluated using this methodology
- none of the three options are acceptable in their current form
- there should be no contracts, or even s122 agreements, for school leaders and no position will go backwards in terms of remuneration.
Next steps
The QTU has recently received a list of schools in each grade under the models proposed in the report. This will allow a more practical, concrete examination of the three options and their relative merits.
QTU Principal Union Reps around the state have been briefed on the State Council resolutions to enable them to answer local questions and organise meetings or teleconferences of members to discuss issues arising from the report.
The PPCR working group will continue to meet as a sub-committee of the EB9 negotiations to develop and negotiate an acceptable classification structure.
Salary proposals for positions are being developed by the QTU for presentation to members and endorsement by Union decision-making bodies.
There have been rumours that the review of the classification structure will be postponed until the next round of EB. This is not true.
To find out more about PPCR and other important information, visit www.qtu.asn.au/ppcr
State Council resolutions
- THAT State Council notes that the PPCR report provided on 21 December 2018 is a department report, not one endorsed by the QTU.
- THAT State Council notes that, fundamentally, the emphasis on resources managed in the commercial job evaluation system that the department is required to use does no more than reflect the historical differences in allocation of resources to different types of schools rather than the relative work value of promotional positions.
- THAT in consideration of the PPCR report and the Union’s analysis, State Council endorses the following positions as a basis for negotiations with the department:
- THAT parity be sought for primary principals with secondary through the adoption of consistent enrolment thresholds for levels of positions. That this parity not be at the expense of secondary schools.
- THAT a re-valuation of the enrolment thresholds be sought for special schools.
- THAT all deputy principals irrespective of sector receive the same remuneration.
- THAT HODs and HOCs receive the same remuneration, and that the position description of HOCs be revised to support this outcome.
- THAT there be no spill of positions as a result of establishing the classification structure.
- THAT no QTU member be financially disadvantaged as an outcome of the transition to the new classification structure.
- THAT none of the positions in the classification structure be subject to contracts or s122 agreements.
- THAT the full cost of the new classification structure be recurrently funded by Treasury and not be re-directed from current I4S funding or future FFN! funding after the federal election.
- THAT the PPCR working group raises with the department the other educational settings not included in the PPCR, including outdoor and environmental education centres, hospital schools and detention centre schools.
- THAT the PPCR working group raise with the department the appropriate classification level for guidance officers and senior guidance officers, in recognition of the unique role and additional specific qualifications that are required for the positions which need to be acknowledged and appropriately remunerated.
- THAT State Council note that none of the complexity rating options contained in the PPCR accurately reflect the complexity of schools and that the PPCR working group revisit this issue and propose/develop new options.
- THAT State Council note the existing 2017-2019 QTU Education Leaders policy (Section 2 dot point 4): “The QTU supports a salary structure that:
- remunerates the principal as the highest paid officer in the school.”
- THAT the PPCR working group considers the current HAT and LT remuneration levels when negotiating the remuneration of teaching principals in line with the legislative accountability attached to school leader roles.
- THAT the issue of head of department role descriptions and the positions currently being created under the existing position description be referred to the PPCR working party for further consideration.