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 25 October 2013

    Spain: Widespread support for education strike

    Spain’s education unions witnessed a successful general education strike on 24 October – the unions involved were EI’s affiliates, CCOO, FETE-UGT and STEs.

    Spain: Widespread support for education strike
  2. News 24 October 2013

    Korea: KTU deprived of legal status

    On 24 October, one of EI’s affiliates, the Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU), was officially deprived of legal status by the Park Geun-hye administration. KTU had been given a one-month ultimatum to revise the provision in its by-laws allowing union membership to dismissed and retired teachers. In a...

    Korea: KTU deprived of legal status
  3. News 4 October 2013

    KOREA: Teacher Union threatened with delegalisation

    Because it allows dismissed and retired workers in its membership, the Korea Teacher Union (KTU), one of EI's members in Korea, is threatened with delegalisation. In a communication issued by the Minister of Employment and Labor, KTU was informed it has until 23 October 2013 to amend its by-laws. If...

    KOREA: Teacher Union threatened with delegalisation
  4. 3 October 2013

    “Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers”

    In war, dedicated teachers are on the front lines of the battle for hope and equality. Facing harrowing conditions, teachers are often unsupported in responding to the pleas of children and parents for access to meaningful education. The international community must also support these teachers and their students' right to...

    “Instead of sending soldiers, send teachers”
  5. News 30 September 2013

    UK: Regional strike action over pay and conditions

    The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT), two of EI’s national affiliates, have announced dates for regional rolling strike action in England as a further step in the dispute over pay, pensions, working conditions and jobs.

    UK: Regional strike action over pay and conditions
  6. News 27 September 2013

    Amnesty International honours young activist for girls and women’s right to education

    Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teenager shot by the Taliban last year for campaigning for girls' education, has been honoured by Amnesty International in Dublin, Ireland. The 16-year-old has shared the Ambassador of Conscience Award with US singer Harry Belafonte for his work on human rights and social justice. Recipients are...

    Amnesty International honours young activist for girls and women’s right to education
  7. News 26 September 2013

    Call for education and other human rights to be at heart of development goals

    EI has joined 15 leading civil society organisations in a call for the human right to education to be recognised and placed at the heart of the post-2015 development framework by member states of the United Nations.

    Call for education and other human rights to be at heart of development goals
  8. News 26 September 2013

    Call for education and other human rights to be at heart of development goals

    EI has joined 15 leading civil society organisations in a call for the human right to education to be recognised and placed at the heart of the post-2015 development framework by member states of the United Nations.

    Call for education and other human rights to be at heart of development goals
  9. News 25 September 2013

    Closing Conference on Healthy and Safe Workplaces in the Crisis

    The closing conference of the ETUCE Project “Teacher Trade Unions in Solidarity for Healthy and Safe Workplaces in the Economic Crisis” will be held in Madrid on October 10-11. Representatives from national teacher unions, researchers, representatives of the education employers and students’ unions will gather to discuss how to promote...

    Closing Conference on Healthy and Safe Workplaces in the Crisis
  10. News 18 September 2013

    Egypt: Detained Canadian academics on hunger strike

    Two Canadian academics detained in Egypt have embarked on a hunger strike on Monday 16 September to protest the extension of their detention. Dr. Tarek Loubani and John Greyson will drink only fruit juice.

    Egypt: Detained Canadian academics on hunger strike
  11. News 16 September 2013

    Participation of young people in education and the labour market

    Eurostat published an article on participation of young people in education and the labour market on 12 July 2013. The article explains how youth unemployment in the EU is measured and how youth unemployment rates are affected by the transition of young adults from education to the labour market.

    Participation of young people in education and the labour market
  12. News 16 September 2013

    EU investment for education and youth employability pays off, OECD report confirms

    On 25 June 2013 the OECD report Education at a Glance 2013 was launched. This is an annual report analysing the education systems of the 34 OECD member countries, including 21 EU member states (Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Romania are not part of the OECD and therefore...

    EU investment for education and youth employability pays off, OECD report confirms
  13. News 16 September 2013

    ETUCE Workshop in Athens on ICT and Early school leaving

    On Friday, 20th September 2013, ETUCE organizes a workshop on how to prevent early school leaving through the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

    ETUCE Workshop in Athens on ICT and Early school leaving
  14. News 16 September 2013

    CEE Round Table 2013 in Baku, Azerbaijan

    The 2013 edition of the Central and East European Roundtable will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 26-28 September 2013.

    CEE Round Table 2013 in Baku, Azerbaijan
  15. News 13 September 2013

    Mexican teachers protest against reforms

    Mexican teachers have protested en masse after the government pushed through “supplementary” or “secondary” laws aimed at changing the Education Act, in particular aspects related to teachers’ careers.

    Mexican teachers protest against reforms
  16. News 12 September 2013

    Spain: Complaint against reforms sent to European Commission

    One of EI’s affiliates in Spain, the Federación de Enseñanza de CCOO (FECCOO), has complained to the European Commission about the text of the forthcoming Organic Law for the Improvement of Education Quality (LOMCE).

    Spain: Complaint against reforms sent to European Commission