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 18 March 2014

    Iceland: Strike over better conditions for teachers

    Following on the failure of negotiations on a new collective agreement for secondary school teachers, EI’s national affiliate, the Kennarasamband Islands (KI), called on its members, upper secondary teachers employed by the state, to go on strike on 17 March.

    Iceland: Strike over better conditions for teachers
  2. News 15 March 2014

    Ukraine: A hotline for students and teachers in the Crimea

    The Ukrainian education ministry has established a hotline for teachers and students in the Crimea who may find themselves Russian citizens after the referendum on 16 March. “We get a lot of calls from young people who are very worried about their future”, a deputy education minister told an Education...

    Ukraine: A hotline for students and teachers in the Crimea
  3. News 14 March 2014

    Ukraine: Global unions in solidarity with affected workers

    A delegation from EI visited Kiev from 13-14 March in a show of support for the national teacher unions of Ukraine and the country’s democratic movement. Led by EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen, the delegation was composed of teacher union leaders from Bulgaria, the United Kingdom, and the United...

    Ukraine: Global unions in solidarity with affected workers
  4. News 3 March 2014

    Greece: education unionists face down police violence

    On 28 February, the Greek Federation of Secondary State School Teachers (OLME), one of EI’s national affiliates, organised a demonstration in Athens against the proposed dismissal of 12,500 education workers by 22 March. This demonstration took place at the same time as the Troika’s representatives were discussing permanent teachers and...

    Greece: education unionists face down police violence
  5. News 3 March 2014

    Turkey: education union strikes over planned education law

    On 26 February, EI’s national affiliate, E?itim Sen, organised a national strike action to protest against the new draft of the ‘Amendments to the National Education System Law’ discussed at the Turkish Parliament during the previous few days. Thousands of education and science workers from all provinces of Turkey, as...

    Turkey: education union strikes over planned education law
  6. News 3 March 2014

    UK: education unions engaged in fight against child poverty

    The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) and the National Union of Teachers (NUT), the two largest EI’s national affiliates, have criticised the UK coalition Governments’ consultation on child poverty.

    UK: education unions engaged in fight against child poverty
  7. News 3 March 2014

    Kenya: Education unions issue two-week strike notice

    Public university lecturers and non-teaching staff have threatened to go on strike in two weeks’ time in Kenya. Led by union officials from the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU), an EI national affiliate, as well as members of the Kenya University Staff Union (KUSU), they have urged the Government to...

    Kenya: Education unions issue two-week strike notice
  8. News 28 February 2014

    Ukraine: EI’s European Region calls for action to restore unions

    Last Sunday, Kiev's Independence Square turned into a giant memorial complex, as people gathered in thousands to honour the dozens of people who were killed in clashes between demonstrators and the police forces. EI and the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), has expressed its solidarity for its Ukrainian...

    Ukraine: EI’s European Region calls for action to restore unions
  9. News 27 February 2014

    Nigeria: Boys targeted and killed in terrorist attack on state school

    EI condemns the reported killing of between 29 and 59 school boys at their boarding school in Northern Nigeria in the early hours of 25 February. It is claimed that the boys were shot or burnt to death by the terrorist group commonly known as Boko Haram (which roughly translates...

    Nigeria: Boys targeted and killed in terrorist attack on state school
  10. News 19 February 2014

    Algeria: Fourth week of strikes in education sector

    A widespread strike in the education sector in Algeria has entered its fourth week, despite an intervention by the Prime Minister to bring it to an end. The strike, which started on 25 January, has involved members of the National Union of Education and Training Staff (UNPEF) and the National...

    Algeria: Fourth week of strikes in education sector
  11. News 7 February 2014

    Seminar Wrap Up: Gender and Occupational Health

    The presentations held at the ETUI seminar in Porto on 23 and 24 January are online now. The seminar had the title "His and hers: justice and health in employment and the workplace" and was conducted in collaboration with Porto University.

    Seminar Wrap Up: Gender and Occupational Health
  12. News 7 February 2014

    Supporting Victims of Data Abuse

    The latest report from the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), ‘Access to data protection remedies in EU Member States’, shows that victims of data abuse often lack the understanding about data protection and the authorities that serve to help them.

    Supporting Victims of Data Abuse
  13. News 3 February 2014

    Tunisia: EI hails adoption of new constitution

    After two years of difficult discussions, the Tunisian people adopted the new Constitution on 26 January 2014. “Tunisia is entering a second Republic – and this time, a democratic one!” is the emphatic view of Taher Dhaker, General Secretary of the UGTT’s primary school teachers’ union (SGEB/UGTT).

    Tunisia: EI hails adoption of new constitution
  14. News 28 January 2014

    New court hearings against trade unionists in Turkey

    In March 2012 the Turkish confederation KESK organised a demonstration to protest against the draft Public Services Trade Union law and against proposed changes in the education system.

    New court hearings against trade unionists in Turkey
  15. News 24 January 2014

    Cambodia: Teacher union leader released

    EI is relieved to learn that Mr Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers' Association (CITA) and of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU), was released a few hours after his arrest on 21 January.

    Cambodia: Teacher union leader released
  16. News 24 January 2014

    Haiti: Teachers halt strike after pay rise agreed

    A draft agreement has been signed by teachers' unions and the government’s ad hoc committee resulting in a suspension by teachers of strike action. This follows discussions on 22 and 23 January in which the trade unions negotiated a pay rise with the government which will come into effect in...

    Haiti: Teachers halt strike after pay rise agreed
  17. News 21 January 2014

    Cambodia: EI requests the immediate release of teacher union leader Rong Chhun

    Mr Rong Chhun, President of the Cambodia Independent Teachers' Association (CITA) and of the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) was arrested by the police on 21 January while attending a workers’ meeting in Phnom Penh.

    Cambodia: EI requests the immediate release of teacher union leader Rong Chhun