Ei-iE

Peter Marshall / Demotix Images
Peter Marshall / Demotix Images

Trade union rights are human rights

Trade unionists are far too often subject to attacks by repressive governments. Every year, many are subjected to violence, arrest and imprisonment, torture and even murder. Trade union leaders in education are targeted by non-democratic governments who seek total control of education, and deny teachers and education support personnel their rights.

Even in democratic countries, many education workers are denied the right to join unions and/or engage in collective bargaining. Where bargaining exists, limits on its scope can be imposed. Moreover, teachers and education support personnel are denied the right to strike.

Education International also supports the right of students to organise and join the fight for more inclusive and democratic communities.

Working closely with our member organisations, other global unions and human rights networks, we use supervisory mechanisms at the national, regional and global levels to ensure rights and standards are respected and social dialogue is effective.

Solidarity actions among our global membership are a powerful tool to advance rights everywhere.

Our work in this area

  1. News 22 October 2009

    Fiji authorities further infringe trade union rights of teacher association

    Tevita Koroi, President of Fijian Teachers Association, has been officially informed by the Ministry of Education that he will no longer be accepted as the representative of the FTA at major institutional education forums.

    Fiji authorities further infringe trade union rights of teacher association
  2. News 10 October 2009

    Education International against the death penalty: Teach abolition!

    10 October is the World Day Against the Death Penalty. This year, actions and initiatives across the globe focus on “Teaching abolition.” Education International supports these activities and joins other unions, NGOs and individuals in their fight for the abolition of the death penalty.

    Education International against the death penalty: Teach abolition!
  3. News 6 October 2009

    EI supports ILO mission's denouncement of labour rights abuses in the Philippines

    EI supports the results of the high-level fact-finding mission of the International Labour Organization (ILO) to the Philippines, which asked the government to categorically denounce the killings of workers and the rampant violations of trade union rights.

    EI supports ILO mission's denouncement of labour rights abuses in the Philippines
  4. News 25 September 2009

    Another teacher killed in post-coup violence

    Teachers and trade unionists across Latin America have issued a strong denunciation of the violence and murders that have taken place since the military coup in Honduras, and call for the restitution of the country's legitimate president.

    Another teacher killed in post-coup violence
  5. News 20 September 2009

    EI EFAIDS in Papua New Guinea

    Papua New Guinea is the latest country to join the EI EFAIDS Programme. The Papua New Guinea Teachers’ Association, which represents half of the country’s 40,000 teachers, recently held its first training workshop. Twenty-one participants from across the union structure met in Port Moresby for three days of discussion and...

    EI EFAIDS in Papua New Guinea
  6. News 20 September 2009

    EI EFAIDS Programme Thrives in Post-Conflict West Africa

    The electric generator was running outside the classroom and the rain pounded on the corrugated zinc roof. The noise might have been a distraction to some, but not to the 30 EFAIDS participants of the National Teachers Association of Liberia (NTAL). 30 teachers met in Monrovia, motivated, focussed, and thirsty...

    EI EFAIDS Programme Thrives in Post-Conflict West Africa
  7. News 20 September 2009

    Indian union recommends more practical teacher training

    EI affiliate, the All India Primary Teacher’s Federation published a study on the effectiveness of in-service training for primary teachers in two of the country’s states. Research was carried out in Bihar and Tamil Nadu, the third and seventh most populous states in the country.

    Indian union recommends more practical teacher training
  8. News 20 September 2009

    Kenyan union insists on proper jobs for properly trained teachers

    As the school year begins across Kenya, the Kenya National Union of Teachers, KNUT, has successfully initiated legal action to block government plans to hire ‘intern’ teachers, fearing that this new development would create a new sub-class of underpaid teachers, which would further endanger the achievement of quality education.

    Kenyan union insists on proper jobs for properly trained teachers
  9. News 3 September 2009

    EI launches Urgent Action Appeal for the Fijian Teachers' Association

    EI has launched an urgent appeal for action to its member and partner organisations on 3 September to engage their help in appealing against the dismissal of the president of the Fijian Teachers' Association (FTA) Tevita Koroi.

    EI launches Urgent Action Appeal for the Fijian Teachers' Association
  10. 1 September 2009

    Worldwide solidarity with Iranian workers

    As thousands of Iranian citizens took to the streets of Tehran and other cities to demand fairness in their national election process, workers around the world expressed their support for social justice in Iran. On 26 June, EI and its affiliates joined trade unionists and activists in many countries to...

    Worldwide solidarity with Iranian workers