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Queensland Teachers' Union (QTU) members have voted against a proposed pay rise that would see teachers earn more than $100,000 a year by the end of 2028. A majority — 67 per cent — of the union's 50,000 members voted down the state government offer on Friday afternoon, following a week of deliberations. "This means that the campaign for improved salaries and conditions to address the teacher shortage crisis will continue," QTU general secretary Kate Ruttiman said in a social media statement. Last week, the state government offered teachers a three-year 8 per cent pay rise. It meant every state school teacher would earn more than $100,000 a year by the end of 2028. It also promised a new safety taskforce to deal with violence in classrooms. But the union stopped short of recommending the deal, opening the vote to its members. At the time, Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek described the offer as "historic", with senior teachers to earn $135,000 and principals $200,000. It also included a $400 payment for new teachers, $100 per night to those on school camps, and a $1,000 attraction and retention payment for teachers in regional areas. But the QTU had also consistently raised concerns over what it described as chronic understaffing. In August, about 50,000 teachers went on strike across Queensland, after negotiations with the state government over pay and conditions broke down. It was the first teachers' strike since 2009 and impacted on about 570,000 students and 1,266 public schools. Ms Ruttiman said QTU's state council would meet on Saturday to "consider the next steps in the campaign". The ABC understands the government and union will arbitrate at the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) later this year. Further protection industrial action could then be prevented.
