John Battams describes the different methods of working with Conservative and Labor governments. He states that each had a different view on trade unions, but neither was easier or more difficult to work with.
John Battams reflects on the division within the union regarding women's issues and women's involvement in the QTU, and the consequences of this, which included gender-tagging of positions on the Executive and in official positions. He describes the changes in the QTU when Mary Kelly became President in 1986.
John Battams speaks about the Presidents of the QTU that he has worked with. He also discusses the Directors General of the Department of Education with whom he worked.
John Battams describes some of the changes within the QTU that he supported, including increasing the number of union representatives, encouraging in-school campaigns and the creation of a Campaign Action Group (CAG).
John Battams lists some of the major industrial issues and campaigns that the QTU has been involved in during his time with the union, and specifically between the 1990s and the early 2000s.
John Battams describes the issues with government-provided teacher accommodation from the 1970s onwards. He discusses the Remote Area Incentive Scheme (RAIS) and the difficulty of ensuring equal, decent accommodation for teachers across the big state of Queensland.
