Ei-iE

EI affiliates in France will be joined by the national students’ union UNEF between January 30 and February 4 in protesting against the government’s lack of investment in education.

A rally organised by EI affiliate the Educators and Scientists Free Trade Union of Georgia (ESFTUG) was successful in persuading the Parliament of Georgia to increase the funding of education during the budget discussion.

The Government of the Republic of Montenegro signed the Branch Collective Agreement with EI affiliate the Independent Union of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Montenegro (ITUESCSM) on 23 December, 2005 after Education International’s intervention.

The Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) is seeking a 55 per cent increase over the 2006-2008 contract period after a two year wage freeze under the Public Sector Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

EI sent a message of solidarity to its Bulgarian affiliates, as they launched a general strike today to urge the government to increase the education budget and improve teacher salaries.

EI sent a clear message to the authorities of Montenegro on 9 December that the latter has to sign the "Branch Collective Agreement for Education" as stipulated in the General Collective Agreement in 2004.

The EI Pan-European Structure that met from 6-7 Dec in Luxemburg passed a resolution on Bulgaria,calling on the Bulgarian government to respect the striking teachers' rights and meet their demands. The European Region of EI represents a total of 143 teacher organisations in 44 countries.

EI affiliates in the United States of America, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), both denounce the fact that teacher salaries are lagging behind rising inflation rates.

The UK government has accepted a recommendation from the School Teachers’ Review Body (STRB) to increase all salary points by 2.5% in 2006 and a further 2.5% in 2007.

EI affiliate the Australian Education Union has expressed concerns about “Teaching Australia,” a national professional body announced by the government and aimed at enhancing the professional status of teachers and teaching.

Secondary school teachers from across Bulgaria may go on general strike according to Yanka Takeva, head of EI affiliate Syndicat des Enseignants Bulgares (SEB).

The president of EI affiliate Botswana Teachers' Union (BTU), Japhta Radibe, has called on the government to cease discrimination within the teaching profession.

Every year on 5 October, World Teachers' Day (WTD) provides the opportunity to increase public awareness of the role of teachers worldwide and their importance in society. In 2005 as in every other year, EI has sought, in 2005, the cooperation of its affiliates to build a world-wide campaign claiming...

EI attended the delivery of the OECD's report on basic education in Turkey, between 10-11 October in Istanbul, to present the viewpoint of teachers on the draft document. EI was represented by Research Co-ordinator Guntars Catlaks.

Independent research into education issues is an area yet to be explored by many EI affiliates. However affiliates who have carried out their own research have discovered that it can be a powerful tool when debating with governments how best to provide quality education. Independent research provides teachers' unions with...