Ei-iE

Sungho Byun, President of the Korean Teachers and Education, brought an urgent resolution before Congress in response to the 60 thousand teachers from KTU who lost their union after the government decertified them earlier this year.

Korea

The delegalisation of the KTU violates the most fundamental labour right, said Byun, adding that this was not a matter of law but a matter of basic human rights. The union was delegalised by the government over its continued representation of dismissed and retired teachers, whereas the government decrees that only active teachers can join a trade union.

The resolution mandates EI to request the South Korean government to immediately withdraw its measures to delegalise the KTU, to amend the Trade Union and Labour Relations Adjustment Act and Teachers Union Act, and to comply fully with international standards respecting and promoting freedom of association for Korean educators.

Colombia

The urgent resolution on the Situation of Colombian Teachers was proposed on 26 July by Luis Grubert, FECODE (Colombia). He called on the Congress to support FECODE’s demand that the Colombian Government fulfil the Memorandum of Agreement and that both the government and insurgents keep negotiating to find a peaceful resolution. “We need to make sure that schools are safe sanctuaries across the globe,” he said.

The 7th World Congress exhorts EI and its affiliates to support FECODE in its advocacy and campaigns.

Nepal

Keshab Niraula of the Nepal Teachers’ Association, sought the support of Congress on 26 July in an urgent resolution expressing Solidarity with Nepal. Earthquakes in April and May had led to extensive loss of life as well as damage to over 21,000 schools.

The resolution acknowledges that the disastrous events in Nepal have raised the urgent need for teacher unions to strengthen their ability in disaster preparedness at national and international events.

Iran

Two urgent resolutions on teacher rights and in solidarity with Iran teacher unionists were presented to Congress on 26 July. The resolutions highlighted the difficulties of activists including Esmail Abdi, a leader of Iranian teacher association Tehran ITTA who was denied permission to leave Iran to attend the 7th World Congress.

In addition, EI has agreed to start organising a mission to Iran as mandated in one of the resolutions. “We need to send a strong message that we will not tolerate the violation of the human and trade union rights of the people of Iran,” said Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of EI.

Photo Credit: Gabriel Castro - IEAL