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.
Almost 3,000 teachers in Swaziland have marched to the South African and US embassies to insist on an international asset freeze against the country’s absolute ruler, King Mswati III, alleging corruption and mismanagement of national resources.
Swaziland: Teachers demand freeze of King’s assets
“In many countries, core labour standards are far from fully applied for the teaching profession” EI’s representative told the International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.
EI demands the urgent application of core labour standards
A delegation of international, European and Belgian trade unions, including Education International (EI), delivered a letter of protest to the Bahrain Embassy in Brussels on 26 May to condemn the on-going attacks on the trade unionists in Bahrain. Embassy officials refused to give an audience to the delegation led by...
Trade unions protest against anti-union crackdown in Bahrain
Education International (EI) has condemned the recent interference of the Iraqi government in the internal affairs of the Iraqi trade unions.
Iraq withdraws recognition of trade unions
EI affiliate member, the Yemeni Teachers’ Syndicate (YTS) has denounced the serious escalation in violence against teacher trade unionists in the country as protests grow against the 32-year rule of President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
Yemen: 20 teachers killed since protests began
Fifty trade union organisations and NGOs’ representatives from all over Europe, will come together on 6 June in Brussels, Belgium, deploring that Georgia is rapidly becoming the Europe’s black sheep concerning workers’ rights.
Georgia: Worst European country for human and trade union rights
EI has condemned the brutal takeover of the Teachers’ Association in the United Arab Emirates, a prominent civil society organisation calling for greater democracy in the country.
UAE cracks down on teacher association
The UK Trades Union Congress (TUC) has supported the lunchtime Vigil organised by Action for Southern Africa (ACTSA) outside the Zimbabwe Embassy in London, UK.
UK: Unionists back Zimbabwe Vigil
EI’s Mauritanian affiliate Syndicat National de l’Enseignement Secondaire (SNES) has joined forces with Syndicat Indépendant des Professeurs de l'Enseignement Secondaire (SIPES) to call for a three-day strike from 8-10 May in order to bring the Government of Mauritania to the negotiation table.
Mauritania: teachers urge government to negotiate
EI has condemned the violent dispersion of peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations in Swaziland by the riot police and army.
Swaziland: violent repression and arbitrary arrests of trade unionists
EI and eight other human and labour rights organisations have expressed dismay at parliamentary proceedings in Iran intending to pass a law wiping out an independent civil society in the country.
Iran: independent civil society organisations ignored over draft law on associations
The Yemen Teachers Syndicate asserts that at least three teachers have been killed during the past two weeks of unrest. "We know of three teachers that were shot during the recent protests," says Yehya Alinai, spokesperson for the Syndicate.
Yemen: Violence against teachers continues
Education International (EI) is deeply concerned that workers and their trade union representatives in Bahrain are facing a wave of coercive violence and massive dismissals, in apparent reprisal for their participation in legitimate strikes and protest actions for democratic change.
Bahrain: continued anti-union repression and reprisal against strikers
Teacher unionists in Morocco have staged a two-day nationwide strike after recent demonstrations for better benefits ended in violence.
Morocco: teachers strike after violent protests
French teacher unions have issued a joint statement following on the recent district elections in France, which have seen a growth in support for the far right party, the National Front, asserting that “educators oppose the policies of the extreme right.“
France: Teachers reaffirm their commitment to solidarity and social justice
Teachers from around the world have condemned reports from Harare which confirm that Zimbabwe’s teachers have been experiencing increased political threats and serious violent attacks since November 2010.
Teachers under fire in Zimbabwe
On 17 December 2010, a young vegetable seller named Mohamed Bouazizi burned himself alive in protest at police harassment in a small poverty-stricken town in Tunisia. Within a month the regime of President Ben Ali had fallen, sending shock waves across the entire Arab region.
Tunisia: the spark that set the Arab world ablaze