NAIDOC Award for QTU
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128, 25 August 2023, page no.4
The Queensland Teachers’ Union has been declared joint winner of this year’s Queensland Council of Unions NAIDOC Award.
Deputy General Secretary Leah Mertens was on hand to accept the award from Elder and significant trade unionist Uncle Bob Anderson (pictured). The award, which was shared with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union, was in recognition of wins for First Nations members in our most recent schools certified agreement.
Thanks to QTU advocacy, there is now a provision for cultural capability training to take place in all workplaces, and a recognition and understanding that workplaces and work environments are not always culturally safe. Additionally, First Nations teachers are now eligible to up to three days paid special leave per year for the purposes of Sorry Business or kinship.
The QTU’s biggest win for First Nations members was the complete restructuring of the community teacher classification.
A community teacher is employed in a First Nations school with a focus on aspects of Language and Culture teaching, and many develop programs that underpin the teaching of Culture and Language within their schools and liaise with their communities on Culture and Language matters, in addition to regular classroom and school work. Until recently, the industrial frameworks that underpin teachers’ salaries and conditions have not taken into account the work that community teachers do or the value of their cultural knowledge. Consequently, despite being recognised by Elders and communities as being culturally qualified to teach Language and Culture, they are paid significantly less than their teaching counterparts with formal qualifications.
Changes in the certified agreement include establishing a four-step, rather than seven-step, scale (so progress is easier and quicker for our community teachers) and ensuring community teacher pay rates are comparable with or above those of teacher-aides. There was also the introduction of “senior community teacher”, with a pay level closely aligned with a three-year trained teacher.
The community teacher restructuring is life changing. It is breaking down the barriers to career pathways for those living and working in remote First Nations communities, through higher salary horizons and better career prospects. It promotes the learning of Language and Culture, which is central to social, emotional, educational, and professional health and wellbeing outcomes. It also sustains and revitalises Language and Culture, so much of which have been lost through colonisation.
This supports communities, and particularly our young people, in becoming “two-way strong” - strong in culture, but also strong in Western ways. As the Uluru Statement from the Heart states: “they will walk in two worlds, and their culture will be a gift to their country.”
The QTU recognised that the previous salaries for those working as community teachers did not fully reflect their knowledge and work, and consequently, made a stand to improve the lives of First Nations members and their communities.