On August 6, 2025, tens of thousands of Queensland teachers will participate in a strike, marking the first industrial action by the Queensland Teacher’s Union (QTU) since 2009.

An overwhelming majority of nearly 37,000 out of 38,243 union members voted in favor of the strike, demonstrating strong support for their cause.

Approximately 95% of QTU members backed the 24-hour strike, which is a response to ongoing negotiations over pay and working conditions with the state government.

Despite some productive negotiations, the QTU executive stated that the offers from the Education Department have not met their expectations.

The Queensland government’s current offer is viewed as disrespectful and would result in some of the lowest pay rates for teachers in Australia, worsening existing teacher shortages.

The strike follows unsuccessful negotiations with the Crisafulli-led LNP government over a pay dispute, where the QTU rejected a proposed salary increase of 3%, 2.5%, and 2.5% over three years.

QTU President Cresta Richardson highlighted a critical teacher shortage crisis, stating that teachers are overworked and underpaid, which is impacting communities and families.

The union emphasizes that schools are critically understaffed, leading to teacher burnout and adverse effects on the education system in Queensland.

The Queensland Education Department has sought help from the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to reach an agreement, but this does not prevent the union from proceeding with the strike.

On the day of the strike, schools will operate with limited capacity while negotiations between the QTU and the Queensland Government continue.

Non-union teachers, who make up approximately two-thirds of the state's teaching force, are required to work and supervise students who arrive at school during the strike.

The union has indicated that this strike could be the first of many, warning of a series of upcoming 24-hour strikes if their demands are not met.