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 12 August 2009

    Zimbabwe: teachers’ salary still below poverty line

    Zimbabwean teacher unions ZIMTA and PTUZ have called the recent salary increase that places teacher salaries at US$155 a month ‘inadequate’ and urged the government to provide a living wage for teachers.

    Zimbabwe: teachers’ salary still below poverty line
  2. News 12 August 2009

    Teacher unions strive to safeguard education amidst the continuing crisis

    Honduran teacher unions have opted to join a general strike in the face of escalating violence in the country. Following the recent killings of two teachers, teacher unions have abandoned their previous compromise plan of teaching three days a week and supporting the national resistance to the unelected regime two...

    Teacher unions strive to safeguard education amidst the continuing crisis
  3. News 12 August 2009

    EFAIDS Programme in West Africa

    Unions across West Africa have had a busy first half of 2009 working on the EFAIDS Programme, and have been particularly active in the area of training and publications.

    EFAIDS Programme in West Africa
  4. News 12 August 2009

    Teach ‘One Hour on AIDS’ on World AIDS Day

    World AIDS Day may be several months away but teacher unions are eager to start preparing their activities. For many students school is a valuable, and sometimes the only source, of accurate information on HIV and AIDS.

    Teach ‘One Hour on AIDS’ on World AIDS Day
  5. News 12 August 2009

    The real cost of cuts in HIV and AIDS spending

    People living with HIV are feeling the effects of the global economic crisis as governments around the world cut spending on treatment. According to Miguel D’EScoto President of the UN General Assembly, “many governments are resigned to reducing programmes and diminished expectations”.

    The real cost of cuts in HIV and AIDS spending
  6. News 4 August 2009

    Turkish unionists remain in jail

    Trade unions worldwide continue to protest at the continued harassment, random judicial proceedings and detention of members and leaders of the teacher union Egitim Sen and Confederation of Public Employees’ Trade Unions (KESK).

    Turkish unionists remain in jail
  7. News 4 August 2009

    Teachers killed in violent repression in Honduras

    Escalating violence in Honduras against those protesting the military coup of 28 June has left two teachers dead: Roger Abraham Vallejo and Martín Florencio Rivera.

    Teachers killed in violent repression in Honduras
  8. News 20 July 2009

    USA: Education reform must be good for kids and fair to teachers

    Teachers and their unions should "be the engines of real change in education," Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers, told thousands of educators meeting in Washington, D.C. from 13-15 July.

    USA: Education reform must be good for kids and fair to teachers
  9. News 7 July 2009

    EI launches Urgent Action Appeal for Turkey

    In recent weeks, EI member organisation Egitim-Sen and the Confederation of Public Employees’ Unions (KESK) – to which EI’s member is affiliated – have suffered a series of attacks by the Turkish authorities, including the occupation and searches of the trade union premises by the security forces, arrest and preventive...

    EI launches Urgent Action Appeal for Turkey
  10. News 1 July 2009

    Uganda: EFAIDS Boosts Training of Teachers on HIV and AIDS

    The Uganda National Teachers’ Union with their EFAIDS partner the National Union of Educational Institutions held a highly successful four day ‘training of trainers’ workshop in Kampala in early June. The Master Trainers are now well equipped to carry out local level training on HIV and AIDS education for their...

    Uganda: EFAIDS Boosts Training of Teachers on HIV and AIDS
  11. News 1 July 2009

    Zambian union promotes leadership in the HIV Response

    The Zambia National Union of Teachers held a 3-day Trainer of Trainers Workshop in Livingstone in early June. Organised to introduce participants to the updated EFAIDS resource, ‘Leadership in the HIV Response’ the workshop brought together regional EFAIDS Coordinators from each of the nine regions of the country.

    Zambian union promotes leadership in the HIV Response
  12. News 1 July 2009

    Over one hundred trained in EFAIDS Workshops in St Vincent & the Grenadines

    Training for both teachers and the wider community has been the focus of the EFAIDS Programme of the St Vincent and Grenadines Teacher Union in recent months. Master trainers Oswald Robinson, Gloria Endeavour and Rudolph Roberts coordinated the training sessions and reached over one hundred people.

    Over one hundred trained in EFAIDS Workshops in St Vincent & the Grenadines
  13. News 1 July 2009

    Surinamese Teachers Trained on HIV and AIDS

    Since the beginning of 2009 the Surinamese unions participating in the EFAIDS Programme have been busy training teachers on HIV and AIDS issues.

    Surinamese Teachers Trained on HIV and AIDS
  14. News 1 July 2009

    Teachers and HIV &AIDS: Achievements and Challenges

    Education International participated in the 15th annual meeting of the UNAIDS Inter-Agency Task Team (IATT) on Education which took place from 15- 17 June 2009 in Limerick, Ireland. A one day Symposium on the theme ‘Teachers and HIV & AIDS: reviewing achievements, identifying challenges’ preceded the meeting.

    Teachers and HIV &AIDS: Achievements and Challenges
  15. News 1 July 2009

    Teacher unions highlight need to tackle AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

    Teacher unions working on the EI EFAIDS Programme shared their experiences with participants of the IIEP and UNAIDS-IATT Web Forum Report: ‘Teachers and HIV & AIDS: Reviewing achievements, identifying challenges’. Below are summaries of some of their contributions to the E-Forum.

    Teacher unions highlight need to tackle AIDS-related stigma and discrimination
  16. News 1 July 2009

    Convention on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work a distant goal

    The 98th Session of the International Labour Conference, (ILC), took place in June 2009 in Geneva, and marked an important stage in the process towards the adoption of an international labour standard on HIV/AIDS.

    Convention on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work a distant goal