Solidarity is not for sale
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 6, 5 September 2025, page no 14.
There is a fundamental difference between a real union that builds collective power and those other businesses that treat industrial unrest as an opportunity to sell memberships like a commodity. That difference matters — especially during industrial action.
Real Union, Real Power is about the collective, a shared purpose, and genuine member-led decision-making. For more than 136 years, the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) has been built through active member participation, strong democratic structures, and a commitment to advancing the rights, pay, and conditions of all members — not just those who join in the heat of a dispute. In a real union, a strike is never a stunt or a marketing exercise; it’s a serious act of collective pressure designed to shift power in the workplace and beyond.
By contrast, there are “membership businesses” that appear during moments of industrial action with clipboards and sales pitches. Their goal is not to foster solidarity or build a movement. Their focus is on numbers — selling as many individual memberships as possible, often without any long-term organising strategy, democratic accountability, or commitment to the broader workforce. They sell the idea of “protection” in the same way an insurance company might sell a policy: transactional, individualised, and limited to the buyer.
Of course, real unions like the QTU make sure they know their membership. We understand the issues that are important to members and tailor services and protections to keep pace with our changing workforce and society.
Real unions like the QTU advocate on multiple fronts: legal, industrial, and in the media and public domain. This requires people who know their role and are appointed on merit and experience.
It’s in an enterprise bargaining campaign that the true depth of a real union is revealed; it’s up to all of us to ensure this is not forgotten.
This distinction matters because solidarity is not for sale.
History shows that real union victories come from building member density over time, empowering delegates, training activists, and making democratic decisions. They are not the result of last-minute sign-ups motivated by fear or opportunism.
The lesson for teachers and school leaders is clear; choose collective strength over individual transactions. Join and be active in a union that is by teachers, for teachers, and run by members. Don’t just buy a membership — build the movement.
Because in the end, Real Union = Real Power is not something you can buy at the picket line. You don’t buy union power — you build it. Every conversation, every meeting, every stand we take together makes us stronger.
| EB11 | QTU | Businesses selling membership |
| Party to certified agreement for teachers |  |
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| 192 pages of member submissions | |
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| Exchange of letters with department to commence EB negotiations in January 25 | |
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| 120+ hours of EB negotiations with the department | |
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| Regular EB11 update reels | |
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| 14 special EB meetings | |
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| EB rallies — metro and regional | |
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| Submitted log of claims within the nominal expiry date | |
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| Largest participation of Queensland teachers in industrial action in history | |
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