Ei-iE

In the face of evolving educational landscapes and the ever-present need for robust representation, education unionists are spearheading a dynamic movement to consolidate their influence and expand their membership. This initiative, particularly focused on engaging young educators and women, was the centerpiece of a pivotal breakout session titled “Organizing for Power,” convened during the 10th World Congress of Education International (EI).

Strategic insights

On July 30th, 2024, union representatives gathered to deliberate on strategies that not only retain members but also attract new ones. Manuela Mendonça, from the Portuguese National Federation of Teachers (FENPROF) and an EI Executive Board member for Europe, provided insights into EI’s efforts towards union renewal. “As organizations of organizations, EI is only as strong as its members. The stronger you are, the stronger EI is,” she stated, underscoring the significance of these endeavors.

We are constantly working on union strengthening, for example with the development of tools such as the Toolkit to Build union strength for more effective education unions, she added, reminding that EI coordinates a number of capacity building projects in all the regions, mostly with the support of development and cooperation partners, aiming at strengthening unions which operate in a difficult context.

Mendonça also underlined that having members who make a regular financial contribution allows a union to be autonomous in its strategy, activities and communication; sustainable, i.e., to be able to plan medium/long-term actions; and independent of any other organization which, by providing financial support, could directly or indirectly exert political pressure.

Saying that a high membership is also an asset for social dialogue, she acknowledged that “if you want to grow you need to have a plan. Keeping members within the union and keeping them active, attracting new members and encouraging them to become active requires permanent efforts. You can no longer expect teachers to join unions without convincing them that this will help them directly – individually – or indirectly – as part of the teaching profession –.”

“This means a permanent effort to be inclusive, transparent, democratic, to communicate effectively, to take care of representing members and to be accountable,” Mendonça insisted.

Proactive recruitment

Ruby Bernardo, President of the National Capital Region branch of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers in the Philippines, echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the union’s proactive approach to recruiting young members. “Besides the fact that Filipino teachers are overworked and underpaid professionals, organizing young teachers represents a significant challenge due to a rampant red-tagging of union members and organizations, widespread disinformation, and state-sponsored trolling demonizing union activities,” Bernardo remarked.

Highlighting the union’s commitment to growth and efficacy, she noted that within five years, from 2019 until 2023, the number of young ACT members aged 20-35 has considerably increased from 23,000 to over 63,000.

ACT is doing organizing work among students in universities and training centres, she also said.

She added that her union has an active presence on social media, maximizing the use of popular language and culture, and organizes creative union activities appealing to the younger generations.

Identifying young members who show interest and potential in union leadership, and pushing them to take leadership roles is key, Bernardo went on to note. To this end, ACT organizes leadership trainings and mentoring sessions for young unionists, ensuring they are aware of the broader political struggles of the Filippino people, especially the working and peasant classes, she said.

The power of membership

A union’s strength is directly proportional to its membership size, which in turn enhances its capacity for effective social and policy dialogue with employers, leading to favorable outcomes for the profession. A well-subscribed union boasts greater autonomy and the ability to strategize long-term plans.

Resolutions and future plans

The workshop provided a platform for participants to exchange inspiring examples, share strategies, and collaborate with fellow EI members to refine organizing tactics. These discussions are expected to shape EI’s future direction in this domain.

Several resolutions aimed at fortifying union strength are slated for adoption at the congress. The EI Secretariat will subsequently design activities based on these resolutions, with the contributions from this session serving as a valuable foundation.

Participants left the workshop with a renewed perspective on union organizing. They recognized the critical role of dues-paying members in ensuring a union’s robustness, the necessity of active lobbying to maintain and grow membership, and the importance of targeting specific demographics such as women and young professionals to bolster the union’s ranks.

Ongoing commitment to organizing

EI’s ongoing commitment to organizing and union renewal is evident in its diverse policy documents and resolutions, such as “Education Union Renewal: The New Imperative” and “Young and early-stage teachers, researchers and support personnel” and a study focusing on young member recruitment and participation.

As the 10th World Congress of EI approaches, the education sector watches with anticipation, ready to embrace the transformative strategies that will emerge, strengthening the voice and impact of education unions worldwide.