Human and Trade Union Rights
:: Activities ::
Apart from keeping up the campaign on the promotion and protection of human and trade union rights as prescribed in its resolutions and international law and recommendations, Education International takes a series of action in cases of the violation of such rights. Three main lines of action could happen:
In the first instance, Education International writes protest letters to governments, policy makers and/or regional and international organisations in cases of human and trade union rights violation. International conventions and agreements ratified and signed by the national authorities thus come into play. Each individual case is carefully analysed and monitored by EI's human and trade union rights specialists. Close contact is maintained with the national affiliates concerned to monitor any development which might prompt further action.
The second line of action is the launch of an Urgent Action Appeal. This is a worldwide mobilisation of its network of member organisations and global partners such as the Global Union Federations (GUF). This happens when there is an imminent risk of danger for trade unionist(s) or trade unions who are threatened by the authorities. EI calls upon this network when it believes that international trade union action is essential to help resolve a specific case of violation of human and trade union rights. The appeal includes information on the case in question, general information on the human and trade union rights' situation in the country, indications as to the content of any prior protest letters in addition to the addresses of those government representatives to be contacted. Once an appeal is launched, EI keeps its member organisations informed of the evolution of each particular case. Urgent Action Appeals provide a very concrete dimension to the concept of international trade union solidarity.
The third line of action is when Education International assists a member organisation in lodging a complaint to the Committee on Freedom of Association (CFA) of the ILO Governing Body in the case of the violation of the Freedom of Association. The procedure in question may be brought against governments even if they have not ratified the ILO's freedom of association conventions. Such cases will then involve careful analyses by both the union concerned and EI's human and trade union rights specialists.
Education International also publishes its "Barometer of Human and Trade Union Rights in the Education Sector" every three years. Based on sources provided by its affiliates, the Barometer measures the extent to which human and trade union rights are respected in each country against the international conventions and treaties the country has ratified.
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