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 10 August 2018

    Four new states endorse the Safe Schools Declaration

    Education International welcomes the move by Djibouti, Macedonia, Peru, and San Marino to endorse the Safe Schools Declaration, committing themselves to protect students, teachers, schools, and universities during times of violent conflict.

    Four new states endorse the Safe Schools Declaration
  2. News 8 August 2018

    Iran: teacher trade unionist Mohammed Habibi sentenced to ten and a half years in prison

    Education International strongly condemns the prison sentence imposed on Mohammad Habibi, an Iranian teacher and a member of the board of directors of the Iranian Teachers'Trade Association of Tehran.The sentence is for ten and a half years of confinement.

    Iran: teacher trade unionist Mohammed Habibi sentenced to ten and a half years in prison
  3. News 6 August 2018

    Lesotho: public authorities must act on education unions’ concerns

    Education International has supported its Lesotho’s affiliates striking to protest the government’s refusal to consider their legitimate demands concerning teacher professional issues and the achievement of quality education for all.

    Lesotho: public authorities must act on education unions’ concerns
  4. News 2 August 2018

    UK: worrying mental health issues for too many students

    Reacting to the announcement from the UK Department for Education on plans for all schools to teach children about good physical and mental health, the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers has stressed that mental health issues represent a daily fact of life for many students.

    UK: worrying mental health issues for too many students
  5. News 13 July 2018

    Brazil: trade union’s resistance to attacks on education

    The Confederação Nacional dos Trabalhadores em Educação has been successful in pushing back a bill in the Brazilian Parliament that would prevent the expression of any political, ideological, or partisan ideas in classrooms.

    Brazil: trade union’s resistance to attacks on education
  6. News 11 July 2018

    New Zealand teachers and nurses to hold first mass strike in a generation

    Thousands of nurses, primary school teachers and principals are calling on New Zealand’s public authorities to ensure decent pay for educators, as well as guaranteeing the future of quality public education, and are prepared to walk off the job.

    New Zealand teachers and nurses to hold first mass strike in a generation
  7. Worlds of Education 4 July 2018

    Defending the right to education! Latin American teachers’ unions fighting against making education a business, by Gabriela Sancho

    Gabriela Sancho

    What is becoming increasingly significant in the rest of the world has long since been reality in Latin America; education as a business. To get parents to send their children to fee-paying private schools and students to attend expensive private universities, the public education system has had to be maligned...

    Defending the right to education! Latin American teachers’ unions fighting against making education a business, by Gabriela Sancho
  8. News 29 June 2018

    Canada: EI honours two prominent union leaders from Quebec

    The Congress of the Centrale de syndicats du Québec highlighted the importance of education’ trade unions for workers, students and society as a whole, and acknowledged the work of two eminent union leaders, Louise Chabot and Daniel Lafrenière.

    Canada: EI honours two prominent union leaders from Quebec
  9. News 27 June 2018

    Chile: educators stand up against sexism, harassment, abuse and discrimination in education

    Thousands of Chilean educators, students and activists have reaffirmed their support to building a new education system, that is non-sexist and free of violence, abuse and discrimination. Education unionists mobilise to fight gender violence in the classroom

    Chile: educators stand up against sexism, harassment, abuse and discrimination in education
  10. News 27 June 2018

    Unions vow to remain strong despite Janus ruling

    The Supreme Court of the United States just delivered a painful blow to working people and to the unions which stand up for their rights. In a narrow 5 to 4 vote, the justices decided in the Janus v. AFSCME case, that public sector unions must use their resources to...

    Unions vow to remain strong despite Janus ruling
  11. Worlds of Education 26 June 2018

    Fighting racism with the light of learning, by Glen Hansman

    Glen Hansman

    Canadian teachers, like our colleagues worldwide, are united in a desire to make the world a better place by confronting social injustices such as racism. In our troubled times, disturbing signs of a resurgent neo-Nazi, white supremacist movement have got teachers across North America talking about how best to confront...

    Fighting racism with the light of learning, by Glen Hansman
  12. News 20 June 2018

    ILO Director General denounces “New Brutalism”

    “We have entered an age of new brutalism,” ILO Director General Guy Ryder told delegates of the 5th World Congress of UNI in Liverpool on 19 June. “We have entered an age where it is OK to dehumanize those who are rejected, who are marginalized, who are different or who...

    ILO Director General denounces “New Brutalism”