"Claim and complain" goes on
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 124 No 2, 15 March 2019, page no. 15
The QTU’s “claim and complain” campaign for fairer payment for preservice teacher supervision continues to make waves.
Last year we advised members that the QTU, along with the union for schools in the private sector (the IEU-QNT), was working to secure an increase in the pay for teachers who supervise preservice teachers while they are on their professional experience placement. We considered the current amount, a mere $4.21 an hour or $21.05 a day, to be insufficient given the work required and the amount paid by other jurisdictions for the same task.
We asked our members to “claim and complain”. This involved a request to claim the payment from the universities, as the low rate of claiming was one of their arguments against the need for an increase, and complain to the universities when requests to supervise prac students came in.
Clearly the “claim and complain” strategy has been successful. We’ve had members share with us their correspondence from universities and federal MPs on this issue, which has been great. Please let’s keep up the pressure and continue to both claim and complain.
Last year the universities refused to meet to discuss this issue. It was a move we considered insulting given the hard work teachers do to support university students while also tending to their own classes. Teachers bring significant goodwill to the task of supervising preservice teachers, and it should not be taken for granted.
Late last year the deadlock broke, when the Department of Education (following QTU advocacy) established a stakeholder working group on this issue of professional experience. We have had two meetings so far, with representatives from all the universities who currently provide initial teacher education (ITE) in Queensland attending. Also involved in the meetings are representatives from both the QTU and IEU-QNT, from employing authorities in the private sector, and from the Queensland College of Teachers.
While progress is slow, the bi-monthly meetings are providing an opportunity to discuss how the professional experience program can be enhanced for all stakeholders – a discussion broader than just remuneration for teachers.
We are thrilled with this development and look forward to keeping members informed as the meetings continue.
We remain steadfast in our resolve to secure renumeration that is consistent with that paid interstate, and to ensure that the responsibility for supervising pre-service teachers remains voluntary, rather than ever being mandated by teacher role or classification.
If you’ve been part of “claim and complain” and have correspondence you’d like to share with us, please email us at services@qtu.asn.au
Member support will be vital in convincing the universities of the need to pay more, so please continue to “claim and complain”.