More than 50,000 Queensland school teachers will strike for the first time in 16 years today, after negotiations with the government over pay and conditions broke down last week.

The Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) has asked roughly 570,000 students at the state’s 1,266 public schools to be kept at home where possible. 

The 24-hour strike is the first since 2009, when teachers across the state walked off the job demanding better pay from the Beattie Labor government. 

Striking Queensland teachers vote on a resolution

Striking Queensland teachers vote on a resolution during a meeting in Brisbane in 2009. (Dave Hunt: AAP)

QTU President Cresta Richardson said a live stream from the main meeting in Brisbane would be broadcast to union gatherings around the state.

“In our meetings tomorrow we will note the progress of where we’re at, and then, from there, consider where to,” she said.

Union members are expected to vote today on whether to take further industrial action, including more strikes.

After the meeting, teachers in Brisbane are planning to march from the Convention Centre to Parliament House, where state budget estimates will be underway.

More money, more resources

The union said the government had so far offered a pay rise of 8 per cent over three years, and had put a second offer on the table that included a boost in allowances, but not more money.

“What’s on offer actually brings us into being the lowest paid teachers and school leaders in the country,” Ms Richardson said.

“If we accepted salaries alone, that places our members in a pretty dire situation.”A portrait style shot of a blonde woman in a red dress wearing a pearl necklace. She stares straight into the camera.

Queensland Teachers Union president Cresta Richardson says money alone will not solve the teacher shortage. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)

Ms Richardson said addressing the “well-documented teacher shortage” would require an improvement in both conditions and pay.

“We really want our workplaces to be safe – because if our schools are safe for adults, then they are safe for students,” she said.

“We know our teaching conditions are student learning conditions, so they do intertwine.”Loading…

Negotiations over a new Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA) for the state’s teachers were referred to the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) for conciliation by the government last week when no deal could be reached.

Ms Richardson said a conciliation meeting had been moved forward by five days and would now be held on Thursday, August 7.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the government had negotiated in good faith. 

“We have held 18 formal meetings over the past five months and remain at the table to finalise an agreement that supports and values our teachers,” he said.

Queensland Minister for Education and the Arts Joh-Paul Langbroek.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek had been hopeful last week a deal would be struck with teachers soon.  (ABC News: Lucas Hill)

Parents asked to keep kids home

Ms Richardson said in flagging the strike in advance, the union had hoped to give parents time to sort out “alternative arrangements for their kids”.

She added it would be “up to the department and the minister to ensure students [were] appropriately supervised”.

“There will be some supervision available at school. However, it is not going to be business as usual,” she said.

Mr Langbroek said schools will “remain open and students will be safely supervised”.

Teachers who participate in the strike will not be paid.