Great reasons to be a QTU member (Schools)
As a Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) member, you belong to the most democratic and representative voice of the teaching profession in Queensland – professionally and industrially. The combined voice of more than 48,000 teachers and school leaders is a tremendous force to promote teachers, principals and public education. The decisions are made by practicing teachers and principals elected to the QTU’s governing bodies.
That is what the QTU has been about for over 135 years. The Union makes possible on a grand scale what would not be possible individually.
In 2024, the Union focused on holding the employer to account. We campaigned to address the impacts of the teacher shortage, occupational violence and the use of SDA data as a measure of school performance. Members won additional attraction and retention incentives as well as the removal of proposed amendments to the EGPA which would significantly impact on students behaviours in school. A new occupational violence and aggression strategy was produced along with increased investment into the future of our profession. The QTU continues to campaign to address violence in schools and TAFE and provide healthy and safe workplaces that are free from harassment and discrimination.
In 2025, the Union’s focus will be on the negotiation of a new agreement, with member interests of attraction and retention to our great profession and safe and healthy workplace at the forefront.,.
The QTU will continue to campaign for fair funding in schools and TAFE. Importantly, we will continue to work on methods to address the teacher shortage including removing barriers to teaching, addressing workload and raising the status of the profession.
The QTU is proud of a campaigning culture that supports members to act locally on local issues and statewide on state or national issues, as well as the services it provides for individual members, such as:
- expert legal assistance through Holding Redlich Lawyers
- member advice through the Queensland Teachers’ Assist Desk (1300 11 7823)
- information and updates through the QTU Journal, website, newsflashes and social media
- industrial education through the Queensland Teachers’ Education Centre
- a new and growing professional development program through QuEST
- member benefits through Teachers Union Health, Union Shopper and Teachers Mutual Bank.
In 2025, please make sure you are part of the most democratic and powerful voice for the teaching profession, school leaders and public education as a QTU member.
Kate Ruttiman
General Secretary
November 2024
Benefits of QTU membership
On 9 January 1889, 23 teachers and principals from schools across the colony of Queensland met in Brisbane to establish the first teachers’ union on this continent – the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU).
Today, more than 48,000 educators in Queensland schools and TAFEs choose to belong to the QTU. We are here to help you in times of difficulty, to negotiate better pay and conditions, and to work on your behalf to promote the teaching profession.
This is something we have done for 135 years, and something that we will continue to do for many more to come.
- Free Expert legal advice and assistance from specialists for cases arising from work (NB: You must be a financial member at the time of the incident)
- Discounted legal advice and assistance for other matters
Professional protection
- Support and representation at work to ensure you are fairly treated
- Experienced QTU Officers with the expertise you need
- Expert Advice and Support from Queensland Teachers’ Assist Desk (QTAD)
- The Queensland Teachers’ Journal
- Newsflashes on important developments
- Access to the QTU library
Belonging
- When you join a union, you become part of a tight knit community of professionals, working together to make a difference for our schools and students
- We are a member-led organisation that value all members’ active involvement
- Industrial training from QTEC
- Professional development through Quest
- Tailored workplace training delivered by QTU Officers at your workplace
- Free legal seminars provided by education law specialists - Holding Redlich
- On The Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority
- On The Queensland College of Teachers
- Nationally, via the Australian Education Union
- On the boards of TUH (health fund), Union Shopper and the Australian Retirement Trust (QSuper - superannuation).
- Working conditions and salary increases
- Managing workload
- Job security
- Professional autonomy
- Remote area incentives
- Safety at work