Ei-iE

“Today is a good day for teacher trade unionism in Europe. We are showing unity and solidarity, and are going be able to use our resources more effectively."

"The new ETUCE, backed up at the global level through EI, will have more weight in lobbying European institutions and guarantee that European educators’ views will be taken into account by relevant decision-making bodies.”

This is how Ronnie Smith, President of the former EI/ European Trade Union Committee for Education Pan-European structure and now the new ETUCE, welcomed the adoption of proposed by-laws for the new ETUCE, in which the Pan-European structure and the former ETUCE are integrated into one organisation.

Representatives of European teachers’ unions met for an extra-ordinary Conference/General Assembly in Brussels, Belgium on 22 November, and by an overwhelming majority vote ended a process which began in 2006.

“This represents a considerable milestone in the crusade for reform in the Pan-European structure, and it will allow us to concentrate more on the major external challenges which we face,” Smith added.

The head of the new structure’s secretariat will be the European Director, Martin Rømer, and the structure itself will keep the name European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE). Arrangements have already been made to facilitate work flow and a better cooperation among EI and ETUCE staff, and a special working group has been set up to deal with outstanding issues.