High-stakes exams have been thrown into chaos across Queensland on Tuesday, with thousands of teachers walking off the job in a strike that has collided head-on with the most crucial assessment window of the year.
More than 100 state schools have been forced to postpone or reshape year 10 and 11 exams as more than 50,000 educators take part in the statewide action – the second mass walk-off this year.
Queensland Teachers’ Union president Cresta Richardson said the disruption was avoidable, pointing the finger squarely at Premier David Crisafulli.
“Parents can thank the Premier for today’s strike,” Ms Richardson said.
“He could have communicated and agreed to the very basic, reasonable request we had for arbitration, and that would have stopped this strike.
“Instead, he did nothing.”
The union has urged parents to keep students home or arrange alternative plans, warning that “we’re running out of teachers and time to prevent a significant change in how state schools function”.
Ms Richardson said the issues facing classrooms were being “downplayed and ignored” and insisted “our members will not let this continue.”
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said all state schools would remain open but in many cases only for supervision.
He described the timing as disappointing.
“We respect the right of the union to take industrial action, but it’s disappointing they have chosen a time that will impact exams for students heading into their senior year as well as school musicals, awards nights, camps, and end-of-year celebrations,” Mr Langbroek said.
A Department of Education spokeswoman said every effort was being made to minimise disruption.
“Schools will communicate with students and families about any changed arrangements for Tuesday and will work with the department to support students with any changes to assessment so that they are not disadvantaged,” she said.
“The department is always concerned about possible impacts of industrial action on students, particularly during these important final weeks of the school year where it may disadvantage their learning outcomes and wellbeing.”
Across the state, swimming carnivals, camps, awards nights and school concerts have been cancelled or postponed.
The walk-off has also halted the Department of Education’s Remote Ready program in Mount Isa.
The dispute stems from stalled enterprise agreement negotiations, with the QTU rejecting the government’s 8 per cent pay offer over three years, arguing it failed to address classroom violence, staff shortages and unsustainable workloads.
The union and government must enter arbitration by the end of December, though whether it resolves the dispute earlier is unclear.
Deputy Premier and Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie said a resolution could be reached sooner if the union agreed to move immediately.
“It has to go to arbitration so they might as well just bring it forward. Go to arbitration earlier and we get a good result for teachers and welfare of the students,” Mr Bleijie said.
He said the government had already consented to arbitration, but “the teachers’ union had not”.
“I would call on them to do that,” he said.
The QTU has confirmed arbitration will be triggered by December 31, at which point it will seek a 3 per cent administrative salary increase and narrow the scope of matters before the Industrial Relations Commission.
“No one but the Premier and minister wanted this strike,” Ms Richardson said.
“Our members lose another day’s pay, while parents and students are also affected, all because the Premier was too proud to pick up the phone.”
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