In a breakthrough deal reached this morning, state teachers in Queensland have agreed in principle to receive "an extra 2.7 per cent a year and will have class size targets guaranteed in a pay deal supported by the Newman government and union leaders."

The Queensland government said in a statement that that the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU), as stated in the new agreement will see a range of conditions protected, thus is now gathering the support of the QTU members.

Brisbane Times said in a related report that Queensland Teachers' Union president Kevin Bates has backed down on his previous criticism of the Newman government's independent public schools scheme."

The deal has been supported and approved "in principle," Kevin Bates, QTU president, told AAP. The balloting will formalize that acknowledgement, he pointed out.

The new agreement, however, was not a total victory, according to Mr Bates.

"The reality here is that the outcome protects things that we already had," he said. "When you look at this, there have not been significant gains by the government or the union."

The deal actually is not really new as it just retained the 2.7 per cent annual wage increase. It however no longer stripped conditions which were what really caught the ire of the teachers, forcing them to rally outside the Queensland Parliament numerous times in the recent months.

Class size targets, remote area incentives and the teacher transfer system will remain protected, the QTU said.

"If we can get down to an agreement about pay to being mainly about pay, we're also getting on with the job, which is what we're doing - teaching our students," Mr Langbroek said.

"Teachers will look at this - they will weigh up the pros and cons of this for themselves," Mr Bates said.

Members will vote on the offer over the next few weeks. Their last enterprise bargaining agreement expired at the end of June.

QTU suspended its planned teachers strike on October 16 until the result of the ballot is known. 

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