Key issues discussed at November State Council included Workload and Wellbeing Awareness month (WWAM), the proposed 2018 branch restructure and the QTU state election campaign.
As in many processes in the natural world, imbalance does not last forever. Countervailing forces rise to restore equilibrium and sustained excesses almost always have catastrophic consequences.
The union movement is gearing up for a possible federal election in 2018 under the banner of #changetherules. Inequality is at a 70-year high.
With growth in membership across the past two years taking our number of members above 45,000 for the first time in our history, the QTU has appointed an extra Regional Organiser and opened a new office.
In a welcome result for Queensland state school teachers, principals and students, the Palaszczuk ALP government was re-elected, with a majority in its own right in the 2017 state election.
It is incredible that in 2018 there are still many schools across Queensland in which girls and young women are not given the choice to wear shorts or pants to school. Western Australia and Victoria have recently announced that state schools will be required to adopt a uniform policy that offers choice for girls. The question that must be asked is, why not Queensland?
In one simple statement, public education hero Jane Caro slayed the argument that more money won’t make a difference in public schools: “If money makes no difference to how kids do at school, why do private schools need so much?” (http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-22/the-drum-monday-january-22/9350558)
Late in 2017, more than 20,000 QTU members expressed their feelings about standardised testing and robot marking, loudly and clearly, by voting in large numbers to ban the implementation of NAPLAN Online, call for a full review of the NAPLAN testing regime, reject robot marking and resist any move to implement the Turnbull government’s proposed standardised phonics test for six year olds.
The QTU’s first Workload and Wellbeing Awareness Month (WWAM) in November proved a riproaring success, with many schools making the effort to either have a workplace meeting about workload or taking the time to put in place strategies to address member wellbeing.
The QTU is to investigate the unique issues facing teaching principals and find ways of reducing the burden they carry.
In 2017, the Queensland Teachers’ Union grew to 45,000 members for the first time in its 129-year history. This means that, on average, nine out of 10 teachers and school leaders in workplaces across Queensland choose to belong to the QTU.
The Australian Education Union, in conjunction with the John Cain Foundation, has held a conference to initiate discussion and debate around the future of TAFE and the importance of developing new public policy in the sector.
The state election held on November 25, 2017 saw three current and one former QTU member elected to the 56th Queensland Parliament.
When your workload increases and the pressure is on, does just the thought of it all throw you into anxiety and resentment and send you reaching for another chocolate bar?
Students and teachers from Chapel Hill State School have overcome fierce opposition from across every state and sector to win the largest performing arts event for schools in Australia.
The QTU lost another fine life member with the death of John Alcorn late in 2017. He was made a life member of the Union in 2001 after a teaching career dating back to 1965.