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.
The Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), one of EI’s national affiliates, has warned the Government the next phase of their strike will include parents and supporters, should national authorities continue harassing teacher unionists through its security agents.
Uganda: Teachers warn government about mass action
EI’s European Region, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), adopted a Statement on the Situation of the Teachers from the Schools of National Minorities in Lithuania on 16 September at the Central and Eastern European (CEE) Round Table in Kiev. In response, the Undersecretary of State at the...
Poland: Government welcomes EI’s action protecting Polish minority teachers and students in Lithuania
EI has relaunched its Urgent Action Appeal on Bahrain. bahraini teachers fear for the safety of their leaders, after the heavy-handed arrest of their vice president Jalila al-Salman.
Bahrain: Teacher leaders under threat of torture
EI is giving its support to the massive popular protest ‘Occupy Wall Street’ which is a movement for economic justice that is spreading across the United States and the world.
Unions support the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement
Jalila Al-Salman, Vice-President of the EI-affiliated Bahraini Teachers’ Association (BTA), has called on the international community to support teachers’ legitimate struggle for human and trade unions rights.
Bahrain: Education union leader calls for international solidarity
Education International has been informed that the Bahraini Teachers Association's (BTA) president, Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb (49 years of age) has been transferred to Jaw prison, Bahrain’s only men's prison, on October 12.
Bahrain: Union leader moved to Jaw prison
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights has voiced concern at the harsh sentences handed down by a military court to the two leaders of the EI Bahraini teacher association, 20 medical staff and at least 32 other individuals.
Bahrain: UN concerned about court sentences for teacher leaders
Thousands of Egyptian teachers who have been protesting for one week outside the Cabinet building in Cairo have agreed to suspend strike action to give the government time to respond to their demand for the Minister of Education to step down.
Egypt: Teachers suspend strike for one week
Education International has joined other trade unions and human rights groups to demand that the authorities in Bahrain release the leaders of the Bahraini Teachers’ Association (BTA) from prison. The BTA President, Mahdi Abu Dheeb, and Vice President, Jalila al-Salman, were sentenced to ten and three years’ imprisonment on 25...
Bahrain: EI demands release of teacher leader on hunger strike
EI remains deeply concerned about the continued violation of international labour standards that are directly impacting on its affiliates, the Fijian Teachers’ Association (FTA) and the Fiji Teachers’ Union (FTU), as well as the repression of the entire labour movement in Fiji.
Fiji: Independent trade unionism in danger
More than 50,000 people took to the streets in Wroclaw, Poland, on 17 September to demand greater European solidarity and employment.
Massive Euro-demonstration in Poland
Teacher trade unionists across the globe have found little to cheer about Swaziland as it marks its Independence Day, on 6 September, with a litany of attacks on basic freedom and workers' rights.
Swaziland: Unions demand democracy now
In recent months, Chilean civil society has organised en masse to defend the right to public education for all.
Chile mobilises for Public Education
Education International has issued a new appeal to Bahraini authorities to release Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi 'Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, Vice-President and President of the Bahraini Teachers Association (BTA) arrested along with several other board members of the BTA. Education International (EI) issued a first Urgent Action Appeal in April...
Bahrain: EI calls for detained teachers to be released
EI and Amnesty International are calling for the release of Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, two members of the Bahrain Teachers' Association (BTA) who were arrested during the unrest in March and April 2011. They remain incarcerated awaiting trial in a civilian court, which has been postponed...
Bahrain: EI demands release of detained teachers