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.
Maung Maung, General Secretary of the Federation of Trade Unions of Burma, expects to be able to return to his home country in November without the risk of prosecution.
Myanmar: EI supports efforts to build a strong trade union movement
EI has expressed its support for a salary increase demanded by the Teachers’ Coordination Committee in Lebanon. After an agreement was passed on an improved salary scale for workers in the private sector in February, the Committee carried out strike and protest actions to force the government to also enter...
Lebanon: teachers demand first salary increase in 10 years
EI, together with other Global Unions such as ITUC, ITF and PSI, are launching an online campaign in partnership with LabourStart to condemn governmental anti-union harassment tactics in Turkey. They invite their affiliates, affiliates' members and concerned citizens to take action now on LabourStart and send urgently protest messages to...
Turkey: Help free jailed trade unionists now
Representatives of 19 EI member organisations from Southern Africa, meeting in Johannesburg, condemned in the strongest terms the actions of the Swaziland Government in brutally attacking strikers and imprisoning many of them.
EI African affiliates condemn actions of Swaziland government against strikers
The Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), one of EI’s national affiliate, has condemned the fact that the Cambodian Confederation of Unions (CCU) has again been denied formal government recognition as a trade union confederation. Made up of seven unions and associations, the CCU represents more than 90,000 workers nationwide.
Cambodia: National Confederation Union denied recognition
The head office of E?itim Sen, EI’s Turkish affiliate, was raided by police in Ankara early morning on 25 June, as well as the Confederation of Public Employees (KESK)’s offices. Nearly 70 unionists had their houses searched by the police and were taken into custody, including three E?itim Sen Executive...
Turkey: EI condemns latest arrests of trade union leaders
The Korean Teachers and Education Workers Union (KTU) has challenged the South Korean Government to eliminate Korean Standardised Testing. The KTU, an EI affiliate, argues that the measurement of a teacher’s worth should not rely on standardised testing.
South Korea: Education union challenges standardised testing
Nine union members from Algerian administration workers’ union SNAPAP have been on hunger strike in Algiers since 6 May. The members of SNAPAP, an EI affiliate, are protesting against repeated human and trade union rights violations.
Algerian unionists on hunger strike
The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) called for a two-day strike action on 13 and 14 June to protest at the Swazi Government’s intention to reduce the wages of public employees.
Swaziland: SNAT on strike against wage cuts
The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) called for a two-day strike action on 13 and 14 June to protest at the Swazi Government’s intention to reduce the wages of public employees.
Swaziland: SNAT on strike against wage cuts
Fred van Leeuwen highlighted the crucial role of the trade union movement as “a cornerstone of any democratic system”, especially at a time when the global economic crisis is being used as a pretext for restricting the rights of workers in many countries worldwide.
EI’s General Secretary addresses the Plenary of the 101st International Labour Conference
Fred van Leeuwen called on the ILO to reassert its vital role in defending workers’ rights.
EI’s General Secretary challenges employers in his address to the International Labour Conference
The International Organisation of Employers (IOE) has impeded the discussion of some of the worst cases of workers’ rights violations at the annual International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference, held in Geneva from 30 May-15 June.
ILO Conference: EI outraged at employers attack on ILO system
Senen Niño Avendaño, President of the Federación Colombiana de Educadores (FECODE) and a member of the EI Executive Board, together with two other leaders of the Colombian teachers’ union, has been refused an entry visa to Switzerland where they were to participate in the Conference of the International Labour Organisation...
ILO Conference: Visa denied to EI Executive Board member
Hundreds of thousands of public workers participated in a nationwide public sector strike in Turkey on 23 May, according to EI national affiliate E?itim Sen.
Turkey: Strikes in protest at wages and bargaining process
EI has learned that the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court has adjourned the case of Mahdi Issa Abu Dheeb and Jalila Al-Salman, from the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA), to 30 May, and refused to release Mahdi on bail once more. Both were arrested after a crackdown by authorities following pro-democracy demonstrations.
Bahrain: BTA court case postponed for fourth time to 30 May
In a meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister of Bahrain, Shaikh Khalid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, and the Minister of Labour, Jameel Humaidan, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen has requested that the dissolution of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association (BTA) in 2011 be lifted and that its leaders be released...
EI pleads with Bahraini government officials to respect human and trade union rights