Teachers and support staff in Queensland Catholic schools are calling for urgent improvements to wages, workloads, and working conditions as collective bargaining negotiations begin in 2026.
The Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) says that heavy workloads and increasing work intensification are driving teachers out of the profession and deterring new graduates from entering the sector.
Ms Nicole Kapernick.
IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary Ms Nicole Kapernick highlighted that wages and allowances for both teachers and support staff have not kept pace with the real value of their work or with rising living costs.
“Our school support staff are taking on more responsibility, greater complexity and higher expectations than ever before, yet their wage structures are outdated and have not been properly reviewed for over 30 years,” she said.
The union also noted that some working rights in Queensland Catholic schools lag behind those in other non-government sectors and do not meet contemporary community expectations.
“Contemporary workplaces require contemporary rights at work – Queensland Catholic school employees cannot be left behind the rest of the sector,” Ms Kapernick said.
Teachers in specialist roles and those working in the growing flexible school sector are also seeking better working conditions to support their work.
Ms Kapernick emphasised that IEU-QNT members want immediate action, not more reviews or delays.
“IEU-QNT members don’t need another review, another joint working party or another three years until the next bargaining round – they need action now.”
The IEU-QNT represents more than 17,000 education workers including teachers, school support staff, principals, early childhood educators, and VET and RTO workers across Queensland and the Northern Territory.
