New Educator Connect: April 2026

New educator connect, 29 April 2026 | Open PDF

Connect

In this edition:

• School arbitration
• Know your working conditions: permanency
• Union benefits: Union Shopper, teacher scholarships and Cool.org
• Labour Day 2026
• Introducing QTU member groups.

Rest and relax

We are already well and truly into 2026, meaning you have hopefully by now had time to settle in, meet your classes and colleagues, and get your footing. Over the Easter break, we hope that you also found time to reconnect with family and friends, rest, and rejuvenate in readiness  for Term 2.

QTU Officers working on the schools arbitration have been finalising submissions and gathering witness statements in preparation for the matter to be heard in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC).

The QTU and the State of Queensland (Department of Education) have been advised that the next hearing set down as part of the process has been scheduled for Monday 24 August. This hearing will consider our interim salary increase application and the State of Queensland (Department of Education) response.

It is the QIRC which determines the dates, subject to the availability of the Industrial Commissioners and the other matters scheduled for hearings.

While we wait for this hearing, the QTU continues to represent members and advocate for improvements to the working conditions of teachers and school leaders and the learning conditions of students in state schools right across the state.

Some members recently received additional salary increases due to the application of the State Award Case in 2025 to the Teaching in State Education Award - State 2016. Information about these changes can be found ​​​​​​ here.

For more information please follow the links here, check out our Journal article and the roadmap. 

Know your working conditions: permanency

The QTU has waged a strong campaign to establish a process to ensure permanent positions for teachers. One of the achievements of our EB10 campaign was the commitment to the maximisation of permanent employment and the maintenance of job security for permanent employees.

The conversion process can be either department initiated, or employee driven. Temporary teachers who have completed more than 12 months of continuous service with the Department of Education can request a review of their employment status with a view to securing conversion to permanency.

If you are a temporary teacher and reasonably believe you are eligible for conversion to permanency, you can check by requesting a statement of service from your school business manager or regional payroll. If this indicates that you meet the employment requirements, you can then submit a request for review to EmploymentReview@qed.qld.gov.au.

You should include:

• your full name
• your employee number
• a statement related to any compassionate circumstances and/or human rights.
• Make sure you CC services@qtu.asn.au
   

Union benefits

Union Shopper

We’ve worked with Union Shopper to ensure that you have access to the biggest savings on a huge range of Australia’s best brands. Registration is via the QTU-specific portal. Get the most out of your membership and start saving today.

By way of example, a four-person household could easily save $2,500 a year with Union Shopper.
Saving money isn’t about missing out… it’s about shopping smarter.

• Groceries: Save up to 5 per cent every time you shop at Woolworths, Coles or IGA.
• Fuel: Cut costs with discounted Ampol and 7-Eleven fuel cards.
• Home upgrades: Get “member-only” pricing at The Good Guys Commercial and JB Hi-Fi Business.
• Car servicing: Save up to 12.5 per cent on tyres and mechanical work through mycar.
• Dining out: Discounted and 2-for-1 restaurant offers right across Australia.
• Family fun: Cheaper movies, experiences, and more.
   

Teachers scholarships - Public Education Foundation The Public Education Foundation’s teachers scholarships were created to highlight the important role played by teachers in transforming the lives of students. The scholarships provide professional development opportunities to help teachers excel. The Teachers Health Early Career Scholarship  supports public school teachers in the first three years of their career. As a not-for-profit organisation, Teachers Health gives back to the education community through sponsorships, scholarships and programs to care for the health and wellbeing of those in the education community.  Applications for scholarships are extended for 2026. Apply now

Proudly Supported by…

Free account with Cool.org for first year teachers

Stepping into the classroom for your first solo teaching experience can feel overwhelming.

It’s often hard to know where to begin, and it’s easy to feel like you’re not quite ready. If that’s you, you’re definitely not alone.

Cool.org has been creating educational resources for Aussie teachers for more than 13 years. Its mission is to help educators be the best they can be. Its resources are mapped to the Australian Curriculum, while also being mapped to the three pillars of sustainability: social, environmental and economic. Learn more about Cool.org here.

The QTU and our federal body, the Australian Education Union (AEU), are proud to offer you a free annual subscription to Cool.org’s entire catalogue of teaching resources, including its premium Cool+ resources (normally valued at $144).

Your Cool+ subscription will give you:

• unlimited access to 100s of professional learning courses that tackle the tough stuff, from student behaviour to managing your own workload and stress management
• 1,000s of downloadable and editable curriculum-aligned lesson plans, factsheets, and presentations
• guaranteed new Cool+ resources released each month.
   

To claim your free subscription, click above and follow the sign-up process. It’s completely free, with no obligations or strings attached. This benefit is available to first year teachers only.

In late 2025, QTU members made history by taking part in the largest single‑union industrial action in Queensland — standing united for safety, fairness and respect. That same solidarity is the heart of Labour Day celebrations.

Labour Day is our chance to showcase the power of collective action and the proud tradition of working people demanding safe workplaces, fair wages and dignity at work. In 2026, QTU members will once again stand shoulder to shoulder with the wider union movement to show what being union means in schools and TAFE.

Join us and your family at Labour Day events across Queensland.
The Brisbane rally and family fun day take place on Monday 4 May at 10.00 am, starting from Wharf Street. Find events statewide at qtu.asn.au/labour-day

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Thursday Island	Sunshine Coast	Brisbane

QTU member groups

Did you know that the QTU has member groups that you can join and be a part of? Over the 2026 editions of New educator connect, we will unpack them for those who might wish to become involved and sign up.

New and beginning teachers	Temporary, contract and casual teachers	Gandu Jarjum and First Nations Network
The QTU welcomes new and beginning teachers who are commencing their careers in the Department of Education. New educator connect is the QTU newsletter for teachers in their first five years of teaching and student teacher members.	The QTU provides support for members in temporary, contract and casual positions (who face a range of unique issues in their employment) by providing ready access to advice and information; detailed information brochures; a dedicated e-newsletter Temporary Teacher Communiqué, and advocacy and advice throughout the conversion to permanency process.	Gandu Jarjum is the QTU’s First Nations standing committee, providing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice through advocacy on Indigenous education, policy development, and support for First Nations educators. The First Nations Network shares updates on First Nations education, along with information on professional learning, courses, seminars and conferences.