Teacher pay docked over five-minute strike

Staff in Queensland Catholic schools will be docked a full day’s pay for a five-minute work stoppage.

According to the Independent Education Union – Queensland and Northern Territory, this action is an Australian first that will affect employees in over 100 schools.

IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said that in response to the lawful protected action being taken by employees, Queensland Catholic school employers had confirmed they would take a full day’s pay from these staff on Tuesday, 15 August 2023.

“This will make them the first Catholic school employer in Australia to take such action,” Burke said.

“It’s a disproportionate and shameful move for the employer to take given the limited nature of the actions employees are undertaking.

“Queensland Catholic employers have … said that if employees take the five-minute stop work, if they actually take an uninterrupted lunch break, if they don’t answer emails outside of work hours or if they simply use their full planning and correction time to prepare quality lessons for their students — then they will lose a full day’s pay.

“It’s an extraordinary response from any employer, let alone the Catholic Church, which for over 150 years has claimed to support workers’ rights and the right to take legal industrial action.

“The Catholic Church has much to be ashamed of — threatening to effectively ‘lockout’ teachers and school support staff who are taking action in support of their rights at work is another shameful act.

“The Queensland Catholic Church will have the ignoble and shameful honour of being the first Catholic school employer in Australia to take such action against its employees,” Burke said.

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