All teachers and education support personnel have the right to organise and be part of a union that represents and defends their values and interests. However, around the world, education unions are facing serious attacks and operate in increasingly challenging and hostile environments. Revitalising unions, building their power by boosting membership and active participation and maximising impact is the way forward.
Amid an increasingly anti-union climate around the world, two Education International affiliates, from Bermuda and Mongolia, have recently won significant court victories in defense of their rights.
Teachers in Bermuda and Mongolia score big court victories
As the refugee crisis continues to take its toll on migrants’ lives, policies that would exclude them from national working conditions, such as paying less than minimum wage, may push them further into exclusion.
Refugee teachers face threat of losing basic rights
Five years into the Syrian conflict, 2.1 million children have lost their schools, while another 700 thousand are struggling abroad as refugees without access to education.
In war-torn Syria, funding for education is the only hope for out-of-school children
The sentencing of Omar Ali Ewado, the Deputy General Secretary of the Union of Primary School Teachers, to three months in prison follows relentless government harassment since December of last year.
Djibouti: Education International calls for release of teacher unionist and human rights defender
A new study sheds light on the relationship between education and justice in conflict situations, focusing on how to foster the respect for human rights and democracy from and towards the classroom.
Ground-breaking research strengthens link between peacebuilding and education
The global supply chains of 50 companies employ only six percent of people in direct employment, yet rely on a hidden workforce of 94 percent according to new research from the International Trade Union Confederation.
New ITUC report exposes hidden workforce of 116 million in global supply chains
The Teachers’ Union of Senegal has struck back in response to a national parliamentarian’s call to implement repressive measures aimed at discouraging teachers and other education workers from striking.
Senegal: Unions defend right to strike in face of MP’s criticism
Education International (EI) has launched a LabourStart appeal for Iranian teacher unionist Mahmoud Beheshti Langroodi who has been on hunger strike since 26 November to protest against his unfair trial and subsequent nine-year prison sentence.
Iran: Detained teacher unionist on hunger strike
The international community is offering support to Burundi’s education union as the country’s government has gone on a rampage of violence against civil society over the past weekend.
Burundi: in state of fear, education union is targeted by government violence
The importance of trade unions in achieving human rights is evident for all to see today as the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to the Tunisian National Quartet, which includes five Education International affiliates.
Education International affiliates celebrate Human Rights Day with Nobel Prize
Trade unions from across the country are banding together in a call for peaceful mass demonstrations after the government cracked down on a labour law protest rally in November, resulting in major arrests and injuries.
South Korean trade unions mobilise against government attacks
Bermuda’s public authorities have initiated a questionable legal action to attack the right to strike, accusing trade unions of taking part in illegal industrial action.
Bermuda: Government legal action undermines educators’ trade union rights
Education International has joined education unions’ calls for the immediate release of Colombian academic Dr Miguel Ángel Beltrán Villegas, who remains detained in Bogotá since his arrest on 31 July of this year.
Education unions increase efforts to release imprisoned Colombian Academic
The Education International’s Executive Board has adopted a clear and strong message of solidarity in support of its colleagues in Quebec demanding better quality public services in the Canadian province.
Global education union leaders stand in solidarity with Quebecois colleagues
The Ecuadorian government must initiate immediate consultations with teachers and public servants unions to ensure that new laws respect freedom of association and collective bargaining rights, urges the International Labour Organisation.
The ILO demands that Ecuador respect public workers’ human and trade union rights
Korean teacher unionists are facing disciplinary measures for requesting the withdrawal of a proposed government measure to take full government control over the contents of history textbooks.
South Korea: government threatens to take control over history textbooks used in schools
In a decision being applauded by the Teachers’ Union of Serbia, the country’s constitutional court has overturned a law limiting employees in the public sector that specifically targeted and discriminated women.
Serbia: trade union struggle contributes to ending discrimination against female public servants
Mahdi Abu Dheeb, president of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association, is said to be in poor health and is being refused medical treatment as he continues to serve a five year prison sentence.
Bahrain: union president in need of urgent medical help