FOR the first time in its 132-year history, staff at Ipswich Girls and Junior Grammar School took strike action earlier this month.
Pushed to the brink and with the negotiations breaking down, the teachers and support staff walked off the job over a dispute on pay and conditions.
The strike took place on June 4 and ran for three hours after a meeting between the union and the two schools was unable to come to an appropriate resolution.
IGGS principal Marie Perry said the school had been diligently addressing the concerns regarding working conditions and salary structures.
“We’ve proposed a structured pay increase plan with 5% in 2024, 5% in 2025, and an additional 4% in 2026,” she said.
“This results in a total compounded increase of 14.66% over the next three years, ensuring that our staff’s compensation remains competitive.”
She emphasised the school’s commitment to resolving the salary issues with the urgency they deserved.
“We’ve been actively involved in discussions to find solutions that honour the contributions of our dedicated staff members,” she said.
“The wellbeing of our staff and students has always been, and will continue to be, a top priority for us.”
Independent Education Union organiser for Ipswich Andrew Elphinstone said the staff had no choice but to take strike action.
“As employers, IGGS and IJGS have failed to take the steps needed to resolve the key concerns of members at a negotiating meeting.
Mr Elphinstone said staff were seeking action on three key issues – a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) payment, a new automatic step for experienced teachers, and flexible access to leave.
“IEU-QNT members aren’t just taking this action because they deserve better working conditions, they are fighting for the future of the IGGS and IJGS school community,” he said.
“The employer proposal puts at risk attracting and retaining high-quality teachers for IGGS and IJGS students, now and into the future.”
