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.
Education trade unionists from around the world meet in Ankara on 6 and 7 March for the “Education Trade Unions, Rights, Freedoms and Governments International Symposium”, in solidarity with embattled Turkish education unionists struggling for the respect of their rights, their profession and for education as a whole.
Education unions join in solidarity with Turkish teachers
When I first joined the union, what attracted me was not so much the suggestion that the union was there to protect me if something should happen to me in my professional life. My motivation was more that the union was a place where I could make things happen together...
#IWD2019 #Education Voices : “It All Starts With Good Teachers: Women’s Leadership in Education & in Unions”, by Johanna Jaara Åstrand
Fruitful negotiations between public authorities and public service trade unions, including education unions affiliated to Education International, have led to salary increase of 8 % for public workers.
Germany: A collective agreement with an 8 % salary increase for public workers
At their Federal conference, Australian Education Union’ leaders and activists welcomed the commitment made by the Labour party to greatly increase funding for public education, and reaffirmed their determination to ensure that the upcoming federal election focus on education issues.
Australia: education union and activists will make the 2019 federal election the ‘education election’
Student mobilisation on climate change is a strong call on democracy to deliver for the planet. It is a rejection of “climate deniers”, but also of “business as usual.” Its ultimate success will depend on expanding the mobilisation while graduating from protest to politics, including by linking lower carbon emissions...
"Students and Climate Change: A Lesson in Global Citizenship", by David Edwards
Despite many obstacles, Education International’s Haitian affiliates are jointly campaigning for quality public education and the establishment of a dialogue with the Minister of Education. They are also supporting a statute for teachers in the private sector.
Haiti: trade union front for quality public education, social dialogue and a statute for teachers in the private sector
Confronted with the Government’s failure to sign a collective bargaining agreement and increase teachers' salary in the upcoming national budget, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union has given notice of industrial action beginning on 20 May.
Uganda: education union urges public authorities to keep promise of improved working and living conditions
An international delegation has joined the education union ACT to express its solidarity with teacher unionists, profiled and harassed by the government in contravention of commonly agreed human rights.
Philippines: International solidarity against teacher harassment
Education International has sent a protest letter to the government of Iran deploring the arbitrary arrest and prolonged detention of Mokhtar Asadi, teacher and member of the Iranian Teacher Trade Association in the province of Kurdistan.
Iran: Free teacher unionist detained in Kurdistan province!
Education International congratulates Felisa Tibbitts for her nomination as UNESCO Chair in Human Rights in Higher Education.
Felisa Tibbitts appointed UNESCO Chair in Human Rights in Higher Education
The Japan Teachers’ Union contributes to achieving gender-related rights through its programmes and policies focused on the rights of female educators. A recent JTU research, for example, has shown how terms of employment are interlinked with reproductive health and childcare challenges.
“Evidence-based labour activities for gender equality and the rights to gender and reproductive health”, by Yoshiko Norimatsu.
Jane Pillinger and Nora Wintour have worked together for over 20 years since the PSI and EI first launched the ‘Pay Equity Now!’ campaign. Here they discuss their recent book.
“Collective bargaining and gender equality: a testament to women trade unionists”, by Jane Pillinger and Nora Wintour
For the first time ever, the two largest teacher unions in Zimbabwe have come together to defend the teaching profession and call for a teachers’ strike to obtain a salary increase from the government.
Zimbabwe: key education unions embark in joint action to defend teachers’ conditions
Critical questions on the Bank’s new classroom observation tool, Teach.
“Is the World Bank taking the right approach to ensure #successfulteachers?”, by David Edwards
German education unionists have joined Israeli and Polish colleagues for an educational trip on the occasion of the memorial may for the victims of the Holocaust.
Germany: Standing together to remember the victims of the Holocaust
The Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai has said that "One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world." She is right. Education changes lives, communities and the world. It is both a key to changes in society and individual freedom projects. I therefore stand shoulder...
#EI25: “Standing together: the power of teachers in the fight for democracy”, by Steffen Handal
Education International has launched an urgent action appeal encouraging the global community of educators and activists to express outrage at the death threats received by the General Secretary of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers Raymond Basilio, and at the unlawful profiling of ACT members by the authorities.
Philippines: Teacher unionists threatened
Life-long learning means different things to different people. However, some common principles for lifelong learning are essential for a global consensus on a human-centred agenda for the future of work.
Work with a human face, by David Edwards