The Queensland Teachers’ Union’s plans to encourage teachers to participate in work bans have been met with criticism from the department’s director-general, Michael De’Ath. De’Ath warned the union that it would take “unprotected industrial action” to the Industrial Relations Commission. The union’s work bans, which were aimed at addressing teacher shortages and workload issues created by the new Australian curriculum, included refusing to work outside of rostered hours, not teaching oversized classes, and minimizing data collection. However, the work bans were cancelled after a hearing in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
Despite the union’s efforts to pressure the department to address these issues, the department took the matter to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission, which ordered all “unprotected industrial action” to cease immediately. De’Ath stated in an email to principals that the union’s actions were “profoundly disruptive to the Queensland state education system,” despite the department’s attempts to engage with them. He also warned principals against using letter templates provided by the union to communicate with parents, calling them unauthorized and not reflective of the department’s views.
The work bans were scheduled to take place from May 1 to June 21 and were intended to prevent the implementation of version nine of the Australian curriculum until additional resources were provided by the department. These bans would have included not participating in department initiatives such as whole school reviews or data collection. The union’s ballot of members had supported the proposed work bans, but they were ultimately prevented from taking place due to the intervention of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
The Queensland Teachers’ Union’s actions reflect growing tensions between teachers and the department over issues such as teacher shortages and workload concerns. The union’s decision to call for work bans was seen as a last resort to address these issues and pressure the department to take action. However, the cancellation of the work bans by the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission highlights the challenges faced by teachers in advocating for change through industrial action.
The union’s efforts to engage with teachers and address their concerns through work bans demonstrate the ongoing struggle faced by educators in Queensland. The tensions between the union and the department may continue to escalate if these underlying issues are not effectively addressed. The cancellation of the work bans serves as a reminder of the limitations placed on teachers in advocating for change through industrial action, and the need for a constructive dialogue between all stakeholders to address systemic issues in the education system.
