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 20 April 2006

    UK: Union leader quits through stress

    A former president of EI affiliate the National Union of Teachers broke down in tears yesterday as he revealed how stress and "government bullying" had forced him to quit the teaching profession.

    UK: Union leader quits through stress
  2. News 4 April 2006

    Ethiopia: EI letter to the Prime Minister

    EI issued a formal letter to the Prime Minister of Ethiopia on 4 Apr, protesting against the ruling of the Ethiopian Federal High Court on 30 March to recognise the government-sponsored Ethiopian Teacher Association instead of the authentic Ethiopian Teacher Association affiliated to EI.

    Ethiopia: EI letter to the Prime Minister
  3. News 4 April 2006

    Kenya: Prepare for strike, union tells teachers

    EI affiliate the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) has called on its members to brace for a nationwide strike should the Government fail to implement the remaining phase of their salary increase scheme.

    Kenya: Prepare for strike, union tells teachers
  4. News 31 March 2006

    Ethiopia: International mobilisation to support the authentic teachers' association

    EI witnessed another dramatic development affecting teachers and their union in Ethiopia. On Thursday 30 March 2006, the Ethiopian Federal High Court ruled that the authentic ETA leadership (EI's affiliate) has to hand over every asset and property of the association to a government-sponsored group also called ETA.

    Ethiopia: International mobilisation to support the authentic teachers' association
  5. News 31 March 2006

    Bahamas: Teachers’ Union Calls Industrial Action

    After several weeks of locking horns with government negotiators, officials of EI affiliate the Bahamas Union of Teachers have instructed public school teachers to go on "work to rule" and threatened that more serious action could follow.

    Bahamas: Teachers’ Union Calls Industrial Action
  6. News 31 March 2006

    EI letter of support to French affiliates

    Education International has written a letter of support to French affiliates concerning the First Employment Contract (CPE) job law.

    EI letter of support to French affiliates
  7. News 28 March 2006

    Zimbabwe: Further harassment of trade union leader

    Raymond Majongwe, General Secretary of the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), was detained for 8 hours on 24 March for "driving" a group of four Dutch trade unionists visiting the country. Police in the Mabvuku suburb of Harare said "Majongwe’s visitors were taking pictures of police activities at a...

    Zimbabwe: Further harassment of trade union leader
  8. News 28 March 2006

    UK: Teacher unions show solidarity with 1m striking local government workers

    EI affiliates the NASUWT, NUT and AUT are supporting local government employee unions in their one day strike today; part of the campaign to demand fair treatment over pension rights in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

    UK: Teacher unions show solidarity with 1m striking local government workers
  9. News 27 March 2006

    Macedonia: EI affiliate win legal battle

    SONK, EI’s Macedonian affiliate, is celebrating the legalisation of a new trade union centre of which it was a founding member.

    Macedonia: EI affiliate win legal battle
  10. News 24 March 2006

    Call for G8 HIV/AIDS permanent working group

    Global Unions have recently launched a G8 HIV/AIDS Campaign as part of the 28 April “International Commemoration Day (ICD) for Dead and Injured Workers”. This campaign aims at convincing the Heads of State at next July’s G8 Summit in Russia to create a permanent high-level G8 working group on HIV/AIDS.

    Call for G8 HIV/AIDS permanent working group
  11. News 23 March 2006

    Jamaica: affiliate insists school security should be priority

    EI affiliate the Jamaica Teachers Association (JTA) has taken issue with Education Minister Maxine Henry-Wilson's statement on the matter of security at public schools.

    Jamaica: affiliate insists school security should be priority
  12. News 23 March 2006

    Malta: Trade Unions in Solidarity with Teachers

    Various trade unions showed support for EI affiliate the Malta Union of Teachers' (MUT) directive for a one-hour strike in state schools today.

    Malta: Trade Unions in Solidarity with Teachers
  13. News 20 March 2006

    Trinidad & Tobago: Security concerns lead to protests

    Members of EI affiliate the Trinidad and Tobago Unified Teachers Association (TTUTA) are being supported by parents in their protest over security concerns at schools.

    Trinidad & Tobago: Security concerns lead to protests
  14. News 15 March 2006

    Algeria: re-establishment of social partnership

    EI's protest letter dated 22 Feb to the Minister of Education in support of its Algerian affiliates, the "Union nationale des travailleurs de l’éducation et de la formation" (UNPEF) and the "Syndicat autonome des travailleurs de l’éducation et de la formation" (SATEF) seems to bear fruit.

    Algeria: re-establishment of social partnership
  15. News 3 March 2006

    Algeria: government threatens to dissolve teacher union

    EI is appalled that the two strike actions within an interval of one month by both primary and secondary school teachers did not convince the Algerian government to enter into negotiations with the Inter-Union Coordination of National Education (CITE), to which EI affiliates the "Union nationale des travailleurs de l’éducation...

    Algeria: government threatens to dissolve teacher union
  16. News 2 March 2006

    Ethiopia: international collaboration for the release of teacher unionist

    EI is working with partner Global Union Federations, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), as well as Amnesty International for the release of Kassahun Kebede, chairperson of the Addis Ababa branch of EI affiliate, the Ethiopian Teachers' Association (ETA).

    Ethiopia: international collaboration for the release of teacher unionist