Queensland Child Safety and Youth Justice workers gather outside Parliament House in Brisbane, calling for better pay, working conditions and support for frontline services.
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Child Safety and Youth Justice workers in Queensland have taken their concerns to Parliament House in Brisbane, calling for better pay, improved working conditions and greater support for frontline services responsible for protecting vulnerable children and young people.
The gathering on Thursday, 29 October, was part of an ongoing industrial dispute between workers represented by the Together Union and the Crisafulli LNP Government, with concerns over staffing shortages, heavy workloads and resources continuing to fuel tensions.
Labor MP Leeanne Enoch said workers had come together at Parliament to demand fairer treatment and better support for the work they do.
She said employees played an essential role in protecting children and supporting families during difficult circumstances, and deserved fair pay and adequate resources to carry out their responsibilities.
Enoch also criticised the state government over what she described as barriers preventing workers from accessing compensation when seeking better pay and conditions.
The rally followed months of negotiations between the Together Union and the Queensland Government over a new employment agreement. Workers have undertaken protected industrial action since August, with negotiations moving into conciliation after earlier attempts to reach an agreement failed to resolve the dispute.
The union has raised concerns about rising caseloads, staff vacancies and the loss of experienced employees across Child Safety and Youth Justice services.
According to the union, some Child Safety officers are managing caseloads of 30 or more children, compared with an agreed safe caseload of about 16. It has also reported more than 100 vacant Child Safety officer positions.
Youth Justice staff have raised concerns about workforce shortages and the additional pressure on services responsible for supervising young people and supporting families.
The Queensland Government has defended its approach to the negotiations. A government spokesperson told the ABC that the Crisafulli Government valued the commitment of youth justice staff and was continuing to negotiate in good faith. The government also said contingency plans were in place to minimise disruption to services during the industrial action.
The dispute comes as the government advances changes to its youth justice laws, with the union warning that additional responsibilities could place further pressure on an already stretched workforce.
Enoch has called on the government to listen to employees and address their concerns, arguing that frontline workers need fair compensation and adequate resources to continue their work.
The negotiations remain a key issue for Queensland’s child protection and youth justice services, with workers seeking improvements to pay, conditions and staffing arrangements.
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