Labour Day 2026: shoulder to shoulder, stronger together
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 131 No 2, 2 April 2026, page no 16.
In late 2025, QTU members took part in the largest single-union industrial action event in Queensland’s history: a full-day, statewide stoppage. This was followed by a second day of protected industrial action in November.
For many members, this was the first (and then second) time they had taken industrial action in this way. The feeling was quite simply what the union movement calls “solidarity,” and when members stood shoulder to shoulder across the state, it was a public display of strength and unity that could not be ignored.
So, what has this got to do with Labour Day?
Collective strength and solidarity are the beating heart of Labour Day. The first Monday in May is our day to celebrate being part of the history of working Queenslanders, and a time to reflect on the achievements of the union movement in improving the lives of working people.
Across Queensland, Labour Day is when union members are together, no matter what the industry or profession. Our values are shared. Whether in Brisbane, Townsville, Thursday Island, Toowoomba or beyond, the message holds true. Labour Day celebrates the achievements of workers and is a time to recognise how workers’ progress has benefited Australian society. It is a proud tradition that stretches back to the 1891 shearers’ strikes. What mattered then, matters now: fair wages, safety, and union solidarity.
The industrial action taken by QTU members in late 2025 held a spotlight up to safety. We know that schools and TAFE colleges are not always viewed as workplaces, particularly by the public. The actions of QTU members shifted this narrative so that people better understood that these are places of work, not just learning. Labour Day 2026 is a time to raise our voices again, and call for the same right to properly resourced, safe systems of work as all other workers across the economy.
For QTU members, this year’s Labour Day celebrations offer a statewide public opportunity to come together, to again be shoulder to shoulder, this time alongside the wider union movement. It is another chance to demand safe workplaces, better wages, and professional respect — and, in doing so, to show what being union means to workers in schools and TAFE.
In 2026, the QTU looks forward to seeing you and your friends and family right across the state at a Labour Day celebration.
The Brisbane Labour Day Rally and Family Fun Day will set off from Wharf Street at 9.00 am on Monday 4 May.
Information about statewide Labour Day marches, events and family fun days will be available on the QTU website (see https://www.qtu.asn.au/labour-day), with more to come on our social media channels.
For those attending the Brisbane event with a dog, there are rules regarding entry into the RNA Showgrounds. Leashed dogs are welcome in the march; however, the only animals permitted inside the RNA Showgrounds are certified guide, hearing, or assistance dogs accompanying people with a disability.