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 29 May 2008

    Teachers Against Cyberbullying

    Around 50.000 teachers in Germany are victims of cyberbullying, the Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW) reveales in a study on cyberbullying released on 27 May.

    Teachers Against Cyberbullying
  2. News 23 May 2008

    Zimbabwe: Solidarity with teachers and trade unionists

    Teachers and human and trade union rights activists worldwide are invited to support their colleagues in Zimbabwe by responding to theEI Urgent Action Appeal . So far, over a dozen teacher unions have condemned the violations of basic human and trade union rights against teachers.

    Zimbabwe: Solidarity with teachers and trade unionists
  3. News 19 May 2008

    Sierra Leone: EFAIDS gathers momentum

    A four day EFAIDS training of trainers workshop took place from March 19-22 in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The meeting brought together teachers from across the country and engaged them with EFAIDS issues which will then be communicated to wider audiences of teachers and learners in their workplaces and regions.

    Sierra Leone: EFAIDS gathers momentum
  4. News 19 May 2008

    Kenya: KNUT’s commitment to EFAIDS unshaken by unrest

    The post-election unrest in Kenya has not dulled the commitment of the Kenya National Union of Teachers to advancing EFA and halting HIV and AIDS. The union gathered forty of their members in Ngong Town, southern Kenya, to participate in a national training of trainers (TOTs) session on April 23,...

    Kenya: KNUT’s commitment to EFAIDS unshaken by unrest
  5. News 19 May 2008

    Promoting Health Education in Brazil

    The 2nd National Seminar on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) /AIDS, organised by the Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Educação (CNTE) between March 31 – April 2, 2008, provided an opportunity for debate and progress on themes related to the EFAIDS programme.

    Promoting Health Education in Brazil
  6. News 19 May 2008

    World AIDS Day 2007: Activity Report

    World AIDS Day, 1st December, is an important date in the EFAIDS Calendar and in 2007 many unions took the opportunity to scale-up their HIV and AIDS education around the occasion. Affiliates accounts of activities and images of events have been compiled into a concise report available to download through...

    World AIDS Day 2007: Activity Report
  7. News 19 May 2008

    Second ILO SHARE report

    The International Labour Organisation launched its second SHARE (Strategic HIV/AIDS Responses in Enterprises) report in April 2008. EntitledSaving Lives, Protecting Jobs , it reports on workplace interventions and profiles success stories from over 650 workplaces worldwide.

    Second ILO SHARE report
  8. News 16 May 2008

    International labour leaders call for action from the G8

    Trade union leaders from the G8 countries and global labour organizations called for action from the G8 on the worsening jobs situation and the global food crisis at a meeting in Tokyo with the Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on 13 May as part of the preparations for the G8...

    International labour leaders call for action from the G8
  9. News 16 May 2008

    Zimbabwe: Another trade unionist arrested

    EI strongly protests the arrest of Raymond Majongwe, the General Secretary of the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ). Majongwe was picked up by the police on May 15 at the High Court of Zimbabwe where he was attending a hearing in which leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade...

    Zimbabwe: Another trade unionist arrested
  10. News 9 May 2008

    Zimbabwe: Violence hits teachers

    Violence continues in Zimbabwe following the drawn out election process and affects particularly trade unionists and teachers. The EI affiliate ZIMTA witnessed "many teachers in rural areas being killed, maimed, wantonly tortured and abused".

    Zimbabwe: Violence hits teachers
  11. News 24 April 2008

    Unions Putting Pen to Paper for HIV/AIDS

    During the upcoming International Commemoration Day for Dead and Injured Workers on 28th April, the Global Unions AIDS Programme calls for trade unions worldwide to lobby the G8 countries for sustained action on HIV/AIDS.

    Unions Putting Pen to Paper for HIV/AIDS
  12. News 11 April 2008

    Colombia: more teachers murdered

    Educators around the world are condemning the latest brutal assassinations of teacher trade unionists in Colombia. On 1 April, Emerson Ivan Herrera Ruales and Luz Mariela Diaz Lopez lost their lives at the hands of unknown gunmen who shot them as they made their way to work in the morning.

    Colombia: more teachers murdered
  13. News 11 April 2008

    EI condemns post-election violence against teachers in Zimbabwe

    Education International has received chilling reports about political retribution against teachers in Zimbabwe. This comes in the aftermath of general elections held on 30 March.

    EI condemns post-election violence against teachers in Zimbabwe
  14. News 9 April 2008

    Participate in ILO drafting Recommendation on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work

    The International Labour Organisation (ILO) is formulating a new international labour standard on HIV/AIDS. The draft document has been prepared and is available to read in seven languages on the ILO-AIDS website.

    Participate in ILO drafting Recommendation on HIV/AIDS in the World of Work
  15. News 9 April 2008

    Summaries on HIV/AIDS and Education from IATT

    The UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on Education of which Education International (EI) is a member have produced four Advocacy Briefing Notes.

    Summaries on HIV/AIDS and Education from IATT
  16. News 9 April 2008

    EFAIDS Training of Trainers in Dakar, Senegal

    A three day training workshop in Dakar, Senegal from 4th – 6th February 2008 brought together national coordinators of the EFAIDS programmes in Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire and Rwanda.

    EFAIDS Training of Trainers in Dakar, Senegal
  17. News 9 April 2008

    EFAIDS Latin American regional meeting, Tegucigalpa

    The annual EFAIDS Programme meeting for Latin America took place from 11-13 February 2008 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Activities and progress in 2007 were reviewed whilst programme objectives for 2008 were agreed.

    EFAIDS Latin American regional meeting, Tegucigalpa