Teachers and school leaders strike for first time in 16 years
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 6, 5 September 2025, page no 8 & 9.
On what was a historic day, Queensland Teachers’ Union members participated in a 24-hour protected industrial action stoppage on Wednesday 6 August, as part of their campaign for better wages and working conditions in EB11.
This was the largest single union 24-hour stoppage in the history of Queensland, with the majority of the QTU’s more than 50,000 teacher and school leader members stopping work for the day and calling on the government and the department to put a better offer on the table.
More than 5,000 members showed up at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in South Brisbane, leaving hundreds outside as the venue reached capacity before the meeting started. Across the state, 5,800 additional members directly participated in planned strike meetings from Thursday Island in the far north out to Mt Isa, Longreach, and Charleville in the west, and all of our major centres.
Members in other parts of the state also gathered in solidarity on the day, representing some of the smallest and most remote communities in the state.
The day saw a sea of maroon across the state, as QTU members gathered across Queensland to watch the livestream of the meeting beamed in from Brisbane, before considering statewide resolutions.
The day culminated in a march from South Brisbane to Parliament House, across the Victoria Bridge, with rallies also conducted in Mackay and Townville.
Members experienced a sense of solidarity, with large numbers of QTU members participating in industrial action for the first time. Each meeting saw the creative side of QTU members on display, with homemade signs calling for more respect, better pay, and improved working conditions.
