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 19 November 2014

    Urgent appeal: take action against child slavery

    More than five million children in the world are forced to work as slaves, with working days reaching 18 hours per day. The right to education is just one of many human rights that they are deprived of.

    Urgent appeal: take action against child slavery
  2. News 14 November 2014

    Denmark and USA: Malthe Thomsen dismissed of all charges

    The nearly five-month investigation, reported on the EI website yesterday, into claims that a student teacher had inappropriately touched youngsters at a preschool in Manhattan has ended with the dismissal of all criminal charges, according to the New York times today.

    Denmark and USA: Malthe Thomsen dismissed of all charges
  3. News 13 November 2014

    Denmark and USA: Danish Union launches Legal Defence Fund to support trainee teacher

    The Danish pre-school teachers union, BUPL, is seeking financial support from other EI affiliates, to assist with payment of the huge legal costs of defending a member of the union who has been accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour of a sexual nature ’ at a preschool in New York.

    Denmark and USA: Danish Union launches Legal Defence Fund to support trainee teacher
  4. News 12 November 2014

    Mexico: EI demands full investigation into disappearance of missing student teachers

    News reports indicated a few days ago that the 43 Mexican students who disappeared in southern Mexico in September were abducted by police on order of a local mayor, and are believed to have been turned over to a gang that killed them and burned their bodies before throwing some...

    Mexico: EI demands full investigation into disappearance of missing student teachers
  5. News 7 November 2014

    Belgium: Teacher unions join in national strike

    Teacher unionists were among over 100,000 demonstrators who took to the streets of Brussels, Belgium, on 6 November to fight budgetary reform measures planned by the Belgian federal Government that will affect workers severely.

    Belgium: Teacher unions join in national strike
  6. News 30 October 2014

    Kenyan teachers: no quality education without collective bargaining

    Teacher unions in Kenya are urging the Government to allow and support the ongoing negotiations on their basic salaries, and demand the approval of a new collective bargaining agreement.

    Kenyan teachers: no quality education without collective bargaining
  7. News 28 October 2014

    Hungary: State enters the Classroom

    The long arm of the Hungarian government has reached into the country’s classrooms, leaving many fearful that authorities are preparing to tighten their grip on the teaching profession and undermine the role of education unions.

    Hungary: State enters the Classroom
  8. News 10 October 2014

    Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel Peace Prize

    Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi have been awarded the Nobel peace prize “for their struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education”.

    Malala Yousafzai and Kailash Satyarthi win Nobel Peace Prize
  9. News 9 October 2014

    EI calls for release of kidnapped US hostage

    Education International joins its US affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association, in calling for the safe release of American academic Warren Weinstein, who was abducted in Pakistan by al Qaeda.

    EI calls for release of kidnapped US hostage
  10. News 2 October 2014

    Uzbekistan: cotton harvest enslaves teachers and students

    Global action demands end to forced labour in Uzbek cotton fields. Protestors call on Government to stop using education system as tool of modern-day slavery.

    Uzbekistan: cotton harvest enslaves teachers and students
  11. News 30 September 2014

    Maternity Leave Directive Back in European Parliament

    The EU maternity leave directive is back in the European Parliament. The newly-elected FEMM Committee in the European Parliament had a first discussion on amending the directive in their first meeting in September 2014.

    Maternity Leave Directive Back in European Parliament
  12. News 12 September 2014

    EI calls for release of jailed Bahraini Teacher

    Falsely convicted as a political prisoner, Mahdi Abu Deeb, of the Bahraini Teachers association has received the support of Education International’s General Secretary in a video message that stresses his courage fighting for freedom.

    EI calls for release of jailed Bahraini Teacher
  13. News 4 September 2014

    Paraguay: Excessive repression against teachers

    When teachers in Paraguay took to the streets last month to demand a decent budget for public education, they were met with police force rather than having their calls for quality education heard.

    Paraguay: Excessive repression against teachers
  14. News 4 September 2014

    Norwegian teachers claim victory as strike ends

    The teachers’ strike in Norway has ended after two months with a new agreement reached between the Union of Education Norway (UEN) and employers. At its height at the beginning of this school year, nearly 8,000 UEN members were out on strike.

    Norwegian teachers claim victory as strike ends