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 5 May 2010

    Iraqi workers demand their rights

    Workers in Iraq have launched a campaign to see their fundamental rights at work respected, and to be able to set up and to join free and independent trade unions. EI is encouraging all affiliates to support this momentum by calling on the new government to introduce labour laws that...

    Iraqi workers demand their rights
  2. News 3 May 2010

    Iran: Teacher trade unionists continue to be targeted by authorities

    As seems to become a detestable tradition, leaders and members of the Iranian Teacher Trade Associations have been arrested and detained in the days preceding Labour Day and the National Teachers Day, celebrated on 2 May in Iran.

    Iran: Teacher trade unionists continue to be targeted by authorities
  3. News 30 April 2010

    May Day: Global Unions call for new paradigm of recovery and social justice

    On the occasion of 1st May, Education International and the other Global Unions Federations issued a joint statement on behalf of all workers around the world, calling for fresh initiatives to reform the global economy.

    May Day: Global Unions call for new paradigm of recovery and social justice
  4. News 14 April 2010

    Colombia: EI takes action to end the killing of teachers

    Education International is leading the way to develop new strategies to end the violence being inflicted upon teachers and members of our global federation.

    Colombia: EI takes action to end the killing of teachers
  5. News 29 March 2010

    Learning for Life: Teachers educating students on HIV and AIDS

    The EFAIDS Programme partners Education International, the Education Development Centre and the World Health Organisation present the most recent EFAIDS resource ‘Learning for Life: Classroom Activities for HIV and AIDS education’ a toolkit destined to support teachers to address themes relating to HIV and AIDS with their students.

    Learning for Life: Teachers educating students on HIV and AIDS
  6. News 29 March 2010

    SNEC carries out a survey of school facilities in Bamako [VIDEO]

    Dilapidated buildings with cracked walls, filthy toilets with open plumbing and classrooms devoid of all but the most limited resources. These were the shocking conditions uncovered by Malian teacher union SNEC who carried out a survey of public school facilities at primary and secondary level in the urban area of...

    SNEC carries out a survey of school facilities in Bamako [VIDEO]
  7. News 29 March 2010

    Ghana: providing teachers with the incentive to stay teaching is key to quality education

    Ghanaian teacher unions, GNAT and TEWU, under their national EFAIDS Programme recognised that the number of teachers leaving the profession each year is a challenge to achieving Education for all in Ghana. Recognising that identifying the cause of the problem, is key to addressing the problem they sponsored a survey...

    Ghana: providing teachers with the incentive to stay teaching is key to quality education
  8. News 29 March 2010

    Argentinean union shares experience of HIV and AIDS work with Costa Rica

    Roxana Rogalski and Mariela Cimadevilla, coordinators of the national EFAIDS Programme of Argentinean teacher union CTERA shared their expertise on HIV and AIDS themes with the union leadership of Costa Rican unions ANDE and SEC during a workshop in San José, Costa Rica in late February.

    Argentinean union shares experience of HIV and AIDS work with Costa Rica
  9. News 29 March 2010

    Research by Rwandan union to inform improved support to Teachers living with HIV

    A 2000 survey in Rwanda by the National Population Office found that less than a third of respondents believed that people living with HIV should continue working. Almost a decade later, Rwandan teacher union SYPERWA (Unions of Education Personnel in Rwanda) set out to examine current attitudes towards teachers living...

    Research by Rwandan union to inform improved support to Teachers living with HIV
  10. News 29 March 2010

    Three questions to Mor Mbengue, Senegalese EFAIDS Coordinator

    Mor Mbengue, coordinates COSSEL (Senegalese committee of teacher unions for EFA and against AIDS) and is Deputy General Secretary of Senegalese union UDEN. During the 5th Francophone Conference on HIV and AIDS in Casablanca in late March he will present CARVEE (Committee of Action and Research on Vulnerability in the...

    Three questions to Mor Mbengue, Senegalese EFAIDS Coordinator
  11. 29 March 2010

    Chile: The “Memory Museum” and the neo-liberal experiment

    For the past 10 years theColegio de Profesores de Chile(CPC) has been carrying out a project they call the Pedagogical Movement, a unique kind of teacher union research project.

    Chile: The “Memory Museum” and the neo-liberal experiment
  12. 29 March 2010

    Côte d’Ivoire: Teachers face long hours, large classes

    At the latest EI EFAIDS African regional meeting, 28 teacher unionists from across the continent tackled the perennial issue of securing access to education for all children while guaranteeing quality teaching, and shared their experiences of lending support to colleagues living with HIV and promoting behaviour change for HIV prevention.

    Côte d’Ivoire: Teachers face long hours, large classes
  13. News 18 March 2010

    Dreadful toll of assassinations mounts in Colombia

    Colombian teacher Duvian Dario Rojo Cadavid and his wife were enjoying an early evening walk together in the municipal park of their home town of Puerto Berrío when they were shot dead by unknown assailants on 13 March, the day before senatorial elections. Their deaths bring the total number of...

    Dreadful toll of assassinations mounts in Colombia
  14. News 16 March 2010

    EI affiliates in Zambia agree to merge

    The three EI affiliates in Zambia have agreed to merge to improve their bargaining power and to better enable members to provide quality education to their students.

    EI affiliates in Zambia agree to merge
  15. News 3 March 2010

    Turkey: EI regrets further delay in the court decision

    EI has been informed that the High Court in Izmir decided yesterday to postpone until 22 June 2010 its decision in the case concerning 31 public sector unionists, including 27 teachers.

    Turkey: EI regrets further delay in the court decision