EI have today written to Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat, Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community, in support of affiliate KTOEÖS.
Teachers affiliated to KTOEÖS have been on strike since 21 st October in protest at the government’s failure to implement the signed 2004 Protocol, covers such issues as the working conditions and salaries of teachers. The content of the letter is available, in English, below: Mr. Mehmet Ali Talat Leader of the Turkish Cypriot Community Nicosia , CYPRUS Fax: +90 392 22 72 252 Brussels , 16 th November 2005 Dear Mr. Ali Talat, Education International (EI), the global union federation of teachers and other education workers, which represents over 29 million members in 166 countries and territories, counts the Cyprus Turkish Secondary Education Teachers’ Union (KTOEÖS) among its affiliates. We have been informed that teachers affiliated to KTOEÖS have been on strike since 21 st October in protest at your government’s failure to implement the signed 2004 Protocol, which covers important issues, such as the working conditions and salaries of teachers. Education International expresses its solidarity with the legitimate demands of KTOEÖS. We believe that the quality of education can only be ensured when the working conditions and salaries of teachers have been negotiated and agreements implemented satisfactorily. We urge your government to resume the dialogue with KTOEÖS forthwith, in order to implement the signed protocol without any further delay. Yours sincerely, Fred van Leeuwen General Secretary