Ei-iE

Union growth

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.

Our work in this area

  1. News 20 March 2023

    Development cooperation partners reaffirm their commitment to support education unions’ capacity-building activities

    The recent meeting of the Education International (EI) Development Cooperation (DC) Network gathered education unionists and cooperation development partners from all over the world, the first one since March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. They took stock of past and current projects and exchanged good practices and tools to...

    Development cooperation partners reaffirm their commitment to support education unions’ capacity-building activities
  2. Publications

    Toolkit to Build Union Strength

    For more Effective Education Unions
    28 February 2023

    Education International has developed a "Toolkit to Build Union Strength – For more Effective Education Unions”. This toolkit enables each Education International member organisation to engage in a process of self-assessment, proposing that they experiment with new activities to strengthen their organisations.

    Toolkit to Build Union Strength
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  3. News 27 February 2023

    European unions’ solidarity brings progress on social and policy dialogue, gender equity and union renewal

    Development cooperation (DC) partners of the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) – Education International’s European Region – met for a DC Café online and discussed activities related to social and policy dialogue, gender equity and union renewal.

    European unions’ solidarity brings progress on social and policy dialogue, gender equity and union renewal
  4. News 16 February 2023

    India: International union solidarity crucial to educators’ professional development

    The All India Primary Teachers’ Federation (AIPTF) has organised a capacity building programme aimed at creating a pool of resource persons who would provide professional development training to the members of its affiliate, the Kerala Pradesh School Teachers Association (KPSTA).

    India: International union solidarity crucial to educators’ professional development
  5. News 13 February 2023

    Social and policy dialogue, a key to union renewal?

    Education International member organisation Union of Education Norway is exploring new ways of structuring development cooperation (DC) projects and ensuring that the educators’ voice is heard when decisions are made concerning educational issues and the teaching profession.

    Social and policy dialogue, a key to union renewal?
  6. News 8 February 2023

    Union development cooperation put to good use to fight privatisation of education and promote youth involvement in Africa

    The development cooperation (DC) Café held on 27 January presented activities undertaken and planned by Education International’s Africa Region (EIRAF) with member organisations in the region and international DC partners. Two specific projects were highlighted: the Global Response to the Privatisation and Commercialisation in and of Education campaign and the...

    Union development cooperation put to good use to fight privatisation of education and promote youth involvement in Africa
  7. News 6 December 2022

    France: State education staff called to the ballot box for the social dialogue elections

    French education unions are currently campaigning for their social dialogue elections. The 1.4 million voters in the Ministry of National Education and Youth, the Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research are invited to vote by internet from 1 to 8 December 2022.

    France: State education staff called to the ballot box for the social dialogue elections
  8. Research

    Women’s Participation in Education Unions in a Time of Covid-19

    Carol Miller, Houda Sabra
    31 October 2022

    Since the start of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, education unions have been pragmatic and quick to respond to the rapid changes brought about by the global health crisis. Thus, it is important for education unions to review the work done to engage with members since the onset of the pandemic...

    Women’s Participation in Education Unions in a Time of Covid-19
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  9. Worlds of Education 21 October 2022

    Cameroon: the urgent need for trade union renewal in a time of severe restrictions on freedoms

    Roger Kaffo Fokou

    The struggle for freedom is common to women and men throughout the world and throughout time. Like Sisyphus' rock, we never finish trying to get to the top of the mountain. But the context is never the same and, at the same time as each struggle is individual to one...

    Cameroon: the urgent need for trade union renewal in a time of severe restrictions on freedoms
  10. News 17 August 2022

    Mexico: Better conditions for SNTE pensioners and more certainty for workers: ACS

    The Mexican education workers’ union, the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE), and the Secretary of State for Welfare are to set up a special programme to improve conditions for the organisation’s retirees and pensioners.

    Mexico: Better conditions for SNTE pensioners and more certainty for workers: ACS
  11. Publications

    The pandemic - moving forward: Governments and teacher unions working together to leave no-one behind

    A briefing by Education International for the International Summit on the Teaching Profession 2022
    9 May 2022

    Convened by Education International and the OECD, the International Summit on the Teaching Profession brings together governments and education unions in OECD countries in order to strengthen and support an informed and honest policy dialogue between and among elected representatives of the teaching profession and national government authorities.

    The pandemic - moving forward: Governments and teacher unions working together to leave no-one behind
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  12. Worlds of Education 28 January 2022

    Challenging global tech giants: the critical role of Global labour

    Carmen Ludwig, Edward Webster

    In a recent research paper, Carmen Ludwig and Edward Webster examined the role of global unions to contest the use and abuse of digital technology through transnational activism in two African contexts. Action included work with Education International’s Global Response against the privatisation of education.

    Challenging global tech giants: the critical role of Global labour
  13. News 4 December 2021

    AEU Australia: International cooperation effecting change

    Education International President and Australian Education Union (AEU) Federal Secretary, Susan Hopgood, explains how her union got started in international cooperation and highlights key moments that made a difference.

    AEU Australia: International cooperation effecting change
  14. News 2 December 2021

    AOb Netherlands: Building sustainable partnerships

    The Dutch education union AOb engages in development cooperation to support and strengthen other unions, which in turn enables a better defense of the rights of members and increased access to quality education.

    AOb Netherlands: Building sustainable partnerships