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 19 April 2016

    Report reveals Boko Haram’s devastating toll on education in northeast Nigeria

    A new Human Rights Watch report shows that Boko Haram’s targeted attacks on schools, students, and teachers have affected all strata of life in Nigeria’s northeast, with education as the fault line of the conflict.

    Report reveals Boko Haram’s devastating toll on education in northeast Nigeria
  2. News 4 April 2016

    Bahrain: Teacher leader freed after five years in prison

    Earlier today, Mahdi Abu Dheeb, leader of the Bahrain Teachers Association, an EI affiliate in the country, was released from prison. He had been held in detention since 2011, when he was sentenced to a prison sentence for the simple fact of calling for a teachers’ strike in support of...

    Bahrain: Teacher leader freed after five years in prison
  3. News 17 March 2016

    Iranian teacher unionists released after global solidarity campaign

    Abdolreza Ghanbari and Ali Akbar Baghani, members of the Iranian Teacher Trade Associations, for whom Education International had launched a solidarity campaign, have been released. Ghanbari had been awaiting execution for 2 years before his sentence was commuted to 15 years’ imprisonment.

    Iranian teacher unionists released after global solidarity campaign
  4. News 10 March 2016

    Health education crucial for quality education

    Students must be seen as holistic beings, and the impact of the state of their health on their education taken into greater consideration. This was the key message highlighted by Education International at the 60th Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society.

    Health education crucial for quality education
  5. News 9 March 2016

    Tonga joins the ILO

    A hard-fought 10-year trade union battle has borne fruit with Tonga becoming the 187th member state of the International Labour Organisation.

    Tonga joins the ILO
  6. News 8 March 2016

    Honduras: Prominent human rights defender murdered

    The global education trade union movement has firmly condemned the murder of environmentalist and human rights defender Berta Caceres.

    Honduras: Prominent human rights defender murdered
  7. News 25 February 2016

    South African students take HIV/AIDS education programme to the US

    Students from a Cape Town high school are heading to California as part of an ongoing joint initiative of South African and American teachers’ unions to bring HIV/AIDS education into the classroom.

    South African students take HIV/AIDS education programme to the US
  8. News 24 February 2016

    Haiti: political violence claims academic’s life

    The killing of a teacher unionist has exposed the deteriorating political situation in Haiti where the country was left to linger in constitutional limbo following the resignation of President Michel Martelly.

    Haiti: political violence claims academic’s life
  9. News 18 February 2016

    Djibouti: teacher unionist released from prison after global support

    Teacher unionist and human rights defender Omar Ali Ewado is once again a free man after he was released from prison on 14 February following an appeals court decision that dismissed charges against him.

    Djibouti: teacher unionist released from prison after global support
  10. News 15 February 2016

    Italian researcher’s death in Egypt spurs calls for inquiry

    Teachers’ unions in Italy are urging Egyptian authorities to launch a full investigation into the death of Giulio Regeni, who was murdered while publishing articles on trade union rights, and who’s death remains a mystery.

    Italian researcher’s death in Egypt spurs calls for inquiry
  11. News 10 February 2016

    Teachers in Bermuda and Mongolia score big court victories

    Amid an increasingly anti-union climate around the world, two Education International affiliates, from Bermuda and Mongolia, have recently won significant court victories in defense of their rights.

    Teachers in Bermuda and Mongolia score big court victories
  12. News 9 February 2016

    Refugee teachers face threat of losing basic rights

    As the refugee crisis continues to take its toll on migrants’ lives, policies that would exclude them from national working conditions, such as paying less than minimum wage, may push them further into exclusion.

    Refugee teachers face threat of losing basic rights