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 7 February 2020

    Cameroon: Unions denounce ongoing violence in schools

    Teachers’ representative organisations in Cameroon are united in demanding security in schools in a country “badly shaken by an unprecedented and wave of intolerable violence” at the beginning of the year.

    Cameroon: Unions denounce ongoing violence in schools
  2. News 6 February 2020

    Arab educators tackle diverse challenges to education and teachers in their region

    At a recent meeting, the Committee of the Education International’s Arab Countries Cross Regional Structure reaffirmed their commitment to fight education privatisation and defend democracy in the region. Committee members reported on the challenges faced in their national settings, discussed recent union activities, and strategised for future action and campaigns.

    Arab educators tackle diverse challenges to education and teachers in their region
  3. News 4 February 2020

    Ireland: Teachers strike for equal pay

    A strike in secondary schools in Ireland has seen hundreds of establishments closed as teachers all over the country demand an end to pay discrimination.

    Ireland: Teachers strike for equal pay
  4. News 3 February 2020

    Argentina: Trade Unions Welcome Revival of Social Dialogue

    Following a year of trade union struggle, the government has issued a decree reinstating the National Joint Negotiation Committee for Teachers (Paritaria Nacional Docente).

    Argentina: Trade Unions Welcome Revival of Social Dialogue
  5. News 30 January 2020

    The Netherlands: Strike action demands government funding of education and teachers

    Education International strongly supports the Netherlands’ education staff who are set to strike again – they are seeking appropriate and sustainable funding in the public education sector. Most Dutch schools will be closed from 30-31 January.

    The Netherlands: Strike action demands government funding of education and teachers
  6. Worlds of Education 28 January 2020

    "A teacher like me” – meeting with German teachers, crossing emotional bridges, sharing positive professional experiences on Holocaust education, by Talia Kranz.

    Talia Kranz

    What is more timely for us, Israeli teachers, than talking with our German colleagues about the fight against racism and anti-Semitism? It's already been happening for the 29th time! For the past 50 years, a bi-national seminar has been held once every two years attended by Israeli and German educators...

    "A teacher like me” – meeting with German teachers, crossing emotional bridges, sharing positive professional experiences on Holocaust education, by Talia Kranz.
  7. Worlds of Education 28 January 2020

    “Susi”- a graphic novel about a Jewish girl in disguise - and how to work with the book in primary schools, by Silvia Stieneker (GEW, Germany).

    Silvia Stieneker

    I am a primary school teacher in Berlin. In the summer of 2019, I participated in a German-Israeli union seminar for teachers in Tel Aviv that was organized by the German union “Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (GEW)” and the Israeli teachers union “Histadrut ha Morim”. In this seminar, we discussed...

    “Susi”- a graphic novel about a Jewish girl in disguise - and how to work with the book in primary schools, by Silvia Stieneker (GEW, Germany).
  8. News 27 January 2020

    Holocaust remembrance: Education unions come together for Auschwitz memorial ceremony and Holocaust education conference

    Education International member organisations from 17 countries in Europe, North America, Latin America and Africa are in Poland this week for the official ceremony marking 75 years since the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. The ceremony will be followed by a conference on Holocaust education organised by unions from...

    Holocaust remembrance: Education unions come together for Auschwitz memorial ceremony and Holocaust education conference
  9. Worlds of Education 27 January 2020

    “The forgotten voices of the Holocaust”, by Yossi Michal.

    Yossi Michal

    The International Remembrance Day of the Holocaust is commemorated on January 27th. It is a good opportunity to reflect on a unique aspect of Learning about that period. I'll start with a short story. My family has lived for many generations in Romania. A few years ago, before my grandmother...

    “The forgotten voices of the Holocaust”, by Yossi Michal.
  10. News 22 January 2020

    Spain: Far Right seeks to ban educational content

    Education unions have condemned the "parental PIN" that the Spanish ultra-right wing is promoting in a bid to undermine equality and diversity education in schools.

    Spain: Far Right seeks to ban educational content
  11. News 10 January 2020

    Iran: unions demand transparent investigation into plane crash

    Education unions call for a clarification of the circumstances that led to the crash of Ukraine International Flight 752 outside Tehran, which claimed 176 victims, including professors and students.

    Iran: unions demand transparent investigation into plane crash
  12. News 9 January 2020

    Australia: trade unions mobilise in the national bushfire crisis

    Education International commends the Australian Council of Trade Unions for its prompt reaction to help communities affected by the raging bushfires and its call for donation and/or volunteering.

    Australia: trade unions mobilise in the national bushfire crisis
  13. Worlds of Education 9 December 2019

    “Philippines: On Persecuting Teachers and Weaponizing Education”, by Raymond D. Basilio.

    Raymond D. Basilio

    Teachers and education in the Philippines are under siege. The Duterte government’s worsening attacks on all forms of dissent, disguised as a ‘whole-of-nation approach’ purportedly to end local communist insurgency, is taking its toll on the sector that is universally mandated to espouse and uphold social justice, human rights and...

    “Philippines: On Persecuting Teachers and Weaponizing Education”, by Raymond D. Basilio.