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.
EI strongly protests against the killing of children in the recent air force bombings in Sri Lanka. Up to 61 girls were killed and about a hundred more injured in a raid on the Sencholai children’s home in the Mullaithivu district in northern Sri Lanka. The area is among those...
EI deplores killing of Sri Lankan students
Randall Howard, General Secretary of the South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union, will be the new president of the International Transport Workers' Federation. That makes the ITF the second global union federation, after Education International, to elect a South African trade unionist as president.
ITF holds 41st Congress in Durban
Unable to meet in their home country due to high risk to their personal safety, leaders of the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association (ETA) gathered in the Netherlands last week, thanks to support from Education International and member organizations.
Ethiopian teacher leaders reunited with exiled union president
For the past 15 years, Education International and member organizations such as the Dutch teachers’ union AOb and the National Union of Teachers of England and Wales have actively supported the Ethiopian Teachers’ Association. Why the need for this solidarity? Because the ETA has suffered ongoing repression by a government...
Trade union rights at risk in Ethiopia
As many as 37 000 teachers, who are members of EI affiliate, the "Papua New Guinea Teachers' Association" (PNGTA), remain on strike in the country's national capital district despite the threat of severe penalties if they don't return to work. They began their action on 10 July over the non-payment...
Papua New Guinea: Teachers on indefinite strike
In a letter sent to the government of Mexico on 29 June, EI condemns the use of any form of violence against striking teachers. The message is sent in the light of the police's forceful eviction of strikers on 14 June.
Mexico: EI condemns the use of violence against striking teachers!
EI affiliate the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA), and the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) is postponing the strike due to be held today, until further notice.
Cambodia: Teacher strike postponed
EI issued a letter dated 27 June to the State Minister of Guinea, Fodé Bangoura, condemning the death threat made to SLECG General Secretary, Louis Mbemba Soumah, nor the minister's vow on 12 June to "crush trade unionists".
Guinea: EI condemns gross violations of trade union rights
Members of EI affiliate the Cambodian Independent Teachers’ Association (CITA) will join the Free Trade Union of Workers of the Kingdom of Cambodia (FTUWKC) in a nationwide strike on Monday 3rd July.
Cambodia: Teachers to strike on 3rd July
EI is very concerned with reported security forces repression of the social movement led by teachers in Oaxaca. EI is encouraging the Mexican authorities to dialogue, not to repress.
Mexico: No repression and more dialogue requested in Oaxaca
EI affiliate the Korean Federation of Teachers' Associations (KFTA) have elected Mr. CHO Heung-Soon, their current Chief Director of Organisation Division, as new Secretary General following the end of term in office of former secretary general, Mr. Son In-Sik.
Korea: KFTA appoints new Secretary General
EI attended the proceedings of the ILO Committee on the Application of Standards, at the 95th International Labour Conference of the ILO.
ILC: Countries blamed for poor implementation of labour standards
EI has been informed of the release on 9 June of Mulunesh Abebayehu Teklewold, a 53-year old female teacher. She was arrested in the Kelemworke junior secondary school in Addis and brought to the Kality prison on 9 November 2005.
EI pressure secures release of Ethiopian teacher after 7 months detention without charges
Salary arrears and the lack of progress in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement have driven EI affiliate the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) to strike indefinitely. An ultimatum presented to President John Kufuor’s government says if demands are not met by next week, teachers in higher institutions will...
Ghana: Teachers and Educational Workers Begin Indefinite Strike
EI has requested ILO to set international standards for the recruitment of teachers. In his address to the annual ILO Conference in Geneva, EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen said that industrialized countries should not try to remedy teacher shortages by poaching teachers from low-income countries. Van Leeuwen recommended that...
General Debate Statement by Fred van Leeuwen, General Secretary of Education International at the International Labour Conference, Geneva
Romanian EI affiliate Fédération des Syndicats de l’Enseignement SPIRU-HARET have demanded President Traian Basescu to once again intervene in their relations with the government, as the agreement reached with the government after their last protest has not been respected.
Romania: Teachers ask president to mediate conflict
An international trade union mission composed of two representatives from EI and the African director of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) managed to open doors in Ethiopia. Meetings could soon be secured with the Ethiopian Ministers of Education and Information, together with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and embassy...
Ethiopia: EI mission relaunches social dialogue
After EI's letter to the Macedonian government dated 16 May to condemn its breach of a wage agreement with the teachers, the latter finally approved an agreement on 26 May to respect the wage deal signed with the teachers' union SONK, an EI affiliate.
Macedonia: Positive Outcome for Teachers and SONK