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 21 May 2010

    EI supports Greek General Strike: cuts won't create growth

    EI has expressed solidarity with the unions' General Strike in Greece on 20 May, 2010, against the austerity measures that the government is under pressure to impose in exchange for a multi-billion Euro international aid package.

    EI supports Greek General Strike: cuts won't create growth
  2. News 19 May 2010

    EI recognised as champion of social rights

    EI is proud to have been awarded formal recognition by the Governmental Committee of the European Social Charter to lodge collective complaints of violations of the European Social Charter.

    EI recognised as champion of social rights
  3. News 10 May 2010

    Farzad Kamangar: EI Outraged at Iranian Teacher’s Execution

    Education International is deeply troubled to hear reports that Iranian teacher trade unionist Farzad Kamangar was among five people who were summarily executed in secret on 9 May.

    Farzad Kamangar: EI Outraged at Iranian Teacher’s Execution
  4. News 6 May 2010

    EI and ETUCE express solidarity with Greek Unions

    Education International and the European Trade Union Committee for Education have issued full support and solidarity to the Greek teaching unions, OLME and DOE, in their struggle to protect teachers’ salaries and pensions in order to maintain standards of living.

    EI and ETUCE express solidarity with Greek Unions
  5. News 5 May 2010

    Iraqi workers demand their rights

    Workers in Iraq have launched a campaign to see their fundamental rights at work respected, and to be able to set up and to join free and independent trade unions. EI is encouraging all affiliates to support this momentum by calling on the new government to introduce labour laws that...

    Iraqi workers demand their rights
  6. News 3 May 2010

    Iran: Teacher trade unionists continue to be targeted by authorities

    As seems to become a detestable tradition, leaders and members of the Iranian Teacher Trade Associations have been arrested and detained in the days preceding Labour Day and the National Teachers Day, celebrated on 2 May in Iran.

    Iran: Teacher trade unionists continue to be targeted by authorities
  7. News 30 April 2010

    May Day: Global Unions call for new paradigm of recovery and social justice

    On the occasion of 1st May, Education International and the other Global Unions Federations issued a joint statement on behalf of all workers around the world, calling for fresh initiatives to reform the global economy.

    May Day: Global Unions call for new paradigm of recovery and social justice
  8. News 14 April 2010

    Colombia: EI takes action to end the killing of teachers

    Education International is leading the way to develop new strategies to end the violence being inflicted upon teachers and members of our global federation.

    Colombia: EI takes action to end the killing of teachers
  9. News 29 March 2010

    Learning for Life: Teachers educating students on HIV and AIDS

    The EFAIDS Programme partners Education International, the Education Development Centre and the World Health Organisation present the most recent EFAIDS resource ‘Learning for Life: Classroom Activities for HIV and AIDS education’ a toolkit destined to support teachers to address themes relating to HIV and AIDS with their students.

    Learning for Life: Teachers educating students on HIV and AIDS
  10. News 29 March 2010

    SNEC carries out a survey of school facilities in Bamako [VIDEO]

    Dilapidated buildings with cracked walls, filthy toilets with open plumbing and classrooms devoid of all but the most limited resources. These were the shocking conditions uncovered by Malian teacher union SNEC who carried out a survey of public school facilities at primary and secondary level in the urban area of...

    SNEC carries out a survey of school facilities in Bamako [VIDEO]
  11. News 29 March 2010

    Ghana: providing teachers with the incentive to stay teaching is key to quality education

    Ghanaian teacher unions, GNAT and TEWU, under their national EFAIDS Programme recognised that the number of teachers leaving the profession each year is a challenge to achieving Education for all in Ghana. Recognising that identifying the cause of the problem, is key to addressing the problem they sponsored a survey...

    Ghana: providing teachers with the incentive to stay teaching is key to quality education
  12. News 29 March 2010

    Argentinean union shares experience of HIV and AIDS work with Costa Rica

    Roxana Rogalski and Mariela Cimadevilla, coordinators of the national EFAIDS Programme of Argentinean teacher union CTERA shared their expertise on HIV and AIDS themes with the union leadership of Costa Rican unions ANDE and SEC during a workshop in San José, Costa Rica in late February.

    Argentinean union shares experience of HIV and AIDS work with Costa Rica
  13. News 29 March 2010

    Research by Rwandan union to inform improved support to Teachers living with HIV

    A 2000 survey in Rwanda by the National Population Office found that less than a third of respondents believed that people living with HIV should continue working. Almost a decade later, Rwandan teacher union SYPERWA (Unions of Education Personnel in Rwanda) set out to examine current attitudes towards teachers living...

    Research by Rwandan union to inform improved support to Teachers living with HIV
  14. News 29 March 2010

    Three questions to Mor Mbengue, Senegalese EFAIDS Coordinator

    Mor Mbengue, coordinates COSSEL (Senegalese committee of teacher unions for EFA and against AIDS) and is Deputy General Secretary of Senegalese union UDEN. During the 5th Francophone Conference on HIV and AIDS in Casablanca in late March he will present CARVEE (Committee of Action and Research on Vulnerability in the...

    Three questions to Mor Mbengue, Senegalese EFAIDS Coordinator
  15. 29 March 2010

    Chile: The “Memory Museum” and the neo-liberal experiment

    For the past 10 years theColegio de Profesores de Chile(CPC) has been carrying out a project they call the Pedagogical Movement, a unique kind of teacher union research project.

    Chile: The “Memory Museum” and the neo-liberal experiment
  16. 29 March 2010

    Côte d’Ivoire: Teachers face long hours, large classes

    At the latest EI EFAIDS African regional meeting, 28 teacher unionists from across the continent tackled the perennial issue of securing access to education for all children while guaranteeing quality teaching, and shared their experiences of lending support to colleagues living with HIV and promoting behaviour change for HIV prevention.

    Côte d’Ivoire: Teachers face long hours, large classes