Organiser: Ben Vercoe
Administration officer: Meryline Croker-Falani / Mel Smith
Office hours: 8.30am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday
Address: Suite 1/14 Carol Avenue, Springwood QLD 4127
Postal: PO Box 1750, Milton BC 4064
Phone: (07) 3380 5000
Mobile: 0439 782 235​​​​​​​
Email: springwood@qtu.asn.au

Branches: CAMP HILL,EAST BRISBANE, INALA DISTRICT, MACGREGOR ROCHEDALE, MT. GRAVATT, SUNNYBANK, RUNCORN, WYNNUM

All QTU members are invited to attend

Metro South  2023 Branch Meetings

Branch	Date	Location	Time
Wynnum	Monday 13 Feb	Wynnum Manly Leagues Club, 92 Wondall Rd, Manly West Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	3.45pm
Camp Hill & Mt. Gravatt	Thursday 2 Feb	Mt. Gravatt Hotel, 1315 Logan Rd, Mt. Gravatt Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	4.00pm
Macgregor Rochedale	Wednesday 15 Feb	Sunnybank Community and Sports Club, 470 McCullough St, Sunnybank Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	3.30pm
Inala District	Thursday 9 Feb	Blue Fin Fishing Club, 24 Lilac St, Inala Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	4.00pm
Runcorn & Sunnybank	Thursday 16 Feb	Runcorn Tavern 124 Gowan Rd, Sunnybank Hills Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	3.45pm
East Brisbane	Thursday 23 Feb	Coorparoo Bowls Club, 32 Riddings St, Coorparoo Zoom RSVPs will be on branch notice	3.45pm

Term 4 Newsletter

Term 4, 2022

As we enter the final term of what has been the most challenging year in the careers of most, QTU members can look forward to the certification of EB10, the implementation of key EB initiatives, and of course, a pay rise back-paid to 1 July. Unfortunately, the details behind the cost-of-living allowance (COLA) have delayed the settling of the new agreement, but we are hopeful that the new pay rate and back-pay will be implemented before the end of January.

Student free days 2023
LCCs should be remembering and considering the following.

• There are 25 mandatory staff professional development hours (i.e. five staff professional development days) per year. 
  • At least 15 hours may be worked on the three gazetted student free days.
  • The remaining 10 hours will be worked as determined through consultation at the local level.
  • NEW: Within the 25 mandatory staff professional development hours, three of the hours are to be used at the teacher’s discretion.
• The two January days are fixed and attendance is required, regardless of teaching fraction. Part-time teachers required at school on those days will be paid for additional hours if they are attending on a day that they do not usually work.
• Rostered duty time for student free days can only exceed eight hours following consultation with the LCC (January and September days).
• The September day is fixed, however it may be converted to a flexible one through consultation at the local level.
• All permanent and contract teachers, regardless of fraction, are paid for the 25 PD hours, and therefore the hours must be accounted for each year. 

Please note, LCC consultation processes are for union members only - non-members are able to consult directly with school leadership on matters before the LCC.

Key QTU events this term

Union Reps level 2 training	Tuesday 25 October The Paddo
LCC and working conditions training	Tuesday 1 November Yeronga SHS
QTU State Council	Saturday 5 November
Metropolitan South Area Combined Branches Christmas Parties (Invite to be emailed)	Wednesday 30 November Friday 1 December *Tentative dates*

2023 January student free days

Please let me know if you would like a visit to help welcome your school staff back to the new year. I can also offer PD sessions on: Consultation in the workplace - LCCs (45 minutes) Working conditions for new educators – including probation, provisional registration, conversion from temporary to permanent, leave entitlements, teachers and social media (60 minute info session) Avoiding legal pitfalls for teachers (a QTU supporting resource for code of conduct and standards of practice) (60 minute info session). If you would like me to deliver one or all of the above, you should have a discussion with your school leaders and Union Reps. Then send an email to springwood@qtu.asn.au and we will look at getting your school booked in.

Proposed new education region in South-East Queensland
You would have received an email with information about the proposed new education region that, along with other changes, effectively splits Metropolitan Region into Metropolitan North and Metropolitan South. There is a OnePortal page you can access if you wish to see more on this. This proposal is currently open for consultation.

Health and safety representatives (HSR) in schools
Members should be aware of their entitlements to a health and safety representative (HSR) in their school. The workplace health and safety legislation states that each “work group” within a workplace is entitled to an HSR. More detailed information on this role can be found on our brochure at https://www.qtu.asn.au/bradhsr-qtad. This role is particularly relevant in light of our occupational violence and class sizes in practical subjects campaigns, as well as ventilation and sanitation during the COVID pandemic. Members or work groups interested in this role can contact the QTU for further resources and assistance.

Membership – fortnightly direct debit is here
The QTU has just added a fortnightly direct debit payment option to its join online form for new members.

If you would like to change your monthly direct debit payments to fortnightly, please call 3512 9000 and ask to speak to our Membership section.

Branch meetings in Term 2
The branch meeting is the opportunity for members to raise matters through the democratic structures of our Union, and provides all members with an update on the latest information relating to professional and industrial matters. Attendance is important. If you have not attended before, come along to your next meeting with some colleagues. Mark the date on your calendar!

Branch	Date/time	Location/format
Inala District	4pm THU 6 October	Blue Fin Fishing Club
Macgregor Rochedale	3.30pm WED 12 October	Sunnybank Community and Sports Club
East Brisbane	3.45pm THU 10 November *Rescheduled*	Coorparoo Bowls Club
Runcorn/Sunnybank (combined)	3.45pm THU 20 October	Runcorn Tavern
Wynnum	3.45pm MON 24 October	Wynnum Manly Leagues Club
Camp Hill/Mt Gravatt (combined)	4.00pm THU 27 October	Mt Gravatt Hotel

Meetings

Branch Meetings Council and Conference dates

Professional Development

QuEST [Queensland Education Support and Training] is the  professional development arm of the QTU.

QuEST’s goal is to deliver high quality professional development to teachers and school leaders across Queensland. Our new Professional Development Officer, Rebecca Hack, is working closely with QTU officers, members and external providers to identify a suite of professional development programs that meets the needs of our members right across this diverse state.

QuEST offers a range of programs, including face-to-face and live online programs. Programs will be open to all members. As a not-for-profit initiative, QuEST aims to keep professional development affordable and operates on a cost recovery basis.  

These programs are recognised as legitimate professional development by the Department of Education and Queensland College of Teachers. As such, it is appropriate to apply for release and funding through your normal school professional development processes.

Industrial education and training programs

The Queensland Teachers' Education Centre (QTEC) is responsible for the coordination, planning and delivery of the Union's member education and training program.

The Union offers a range of training and professional development opportunities for all members of the Union in Brisbane and regional areas. Topics such as LCCs, knowing your working conditions and effective negotiations are included in a program of afternoon seminars which are advertised through workplace union reps and on this website.

QTEC also provides training to administrators, area council delegates, women activists, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members, TAFE and new educator members.

QTEC coordinates a professional development program for all members on behaviour management and other current educational issues in metropolitan and country areas. These sessions are held after school locally as well as full day courses. Paid leave to attend full day professional development courses is available, with the approval of the principal, in accordance with EQ’s professional development policy.

The Union's commitment to new teachers is a priority and is a strong focus of the training program throughout the year. These conferences and courses provide opportunities for new teachers to contribute to Union priorities and directions.

Click here to see the current program

Request school visit by the Organiser