Queensland Catholic school strike: teachers say it's not just about pay

Queensland Catholic school teachers say their employers are behaving like "naughty students" in a long-running wage dispute they insist isn't just about money.

More than 8500 Independent Education Union of Australia staff at 242 schools have been authorised to stop work on Thursday – the eighth and largest action in the 10-month dispute.

Central to the ongoing argument is the $6700 disparity between what experienced Queensland teachers earn each year compared to their New South Wales counterparts.

The union is pushing for a 3.25 per cent pay rise, but the Queensland Catholic Education Commission is offering a 2.5 per cent rise.

IEUA branch secretary Terry Burke said under the lower offer, the pay gap would only be reduced to $4300 a year.

"It's making it harder to remain committed to the work that you're doing," he said on Thursday.

Union members were ready to resolve the situation, Mr Burke said, and there was still room to do so before the next meeting in March.

"We're ready to talk ... but we don't see that there's anything on the table from the employers that's actually going to resolve it," he said.

Striking Queensland Catholic school teachers protesting at South Bank. Photo: Robert Shakespeare

The QCEC said the comparisons were irrelevant because teachers in NSW work different hours and term dates.

"The offer is fair in the current Queensland marketplace and it comes with full back pay," QCEC executive director Lee-Anne Perry said.

Police watch on as the teachers rally. Photo: Robert Shakespeare

IEUA Queensland and Northern Territory president Andrew Elphinstone said there was a lot of parental support for the teachers.

"They understand the pressures that we have as teachers – it's not just about money, it's also about workload and supporting us to provide quality education for their students," he said.

Brisbane's All Hallow's school is one of 242 Catholic schools affected by Thursday's strike action. Photo: Michelle Smith

Mr Elphinstone told a spirited meeting at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre their employers were "slow learners".

"They are like the naughty students you send to the 'responsible thinking' room," he said.

"When they come back, they refuse to negotiate."

Mr Elphinstone added: "We might need toV remind them we are not going to continue to be undervalued and disrespected."

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