Ei-iE

The American Federation of teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA), EI’s national affiliates, honour all workers countrywide on Monday 3 September, U.S. Labour Day.

The school year will open in Spain with a heated debate about new educational reforms, imposed by government decree. Trade unions argue that the reform measures will promote early student segregation, bring private enterprise methods into public schools, and militate against “better quality in education”.

The Tanzania Teachers’ Union (TTU) has called off its strike over teachers’ pay, after a High Court ruling found the countrywide action unlawful. The TTU made its decision in order to encourage bilateral discussions with the government to settle its case.

EI’s French affiliates are preparing to draw up a report on the most important reforms for the education sector. This follows a consultation process launched in July by the Education Minister, Vincent Peillon, on the restructuring of the education system. The education unions have revealed their proposals which may contribute...

Over 30,000 teachers across Uganda have not been paid in July. That’s according to a report by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU), one of EI’s national affiliate. The report also points out that some teachers have not been paid since December 2011.

EI’s national affiliates, the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA) have reacted to the New York City Education Department’s declaration that nearly half of New York City teachers reaching the end of their probations were denied tenure this year.

EI’s affiliates in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have voiced their support for concerns raised about education in DRC by the United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The Fédération nationale des enseignants du Congo (FENECO-UNTC) and the Syndicat des enseignants du Congo (SYECO) were reacting to a UNICEF report...

One of EI’s national affiliates, the Workers Councils’ Teacher Branch, KPSZ-KPT, has recently expressed their desire to initiate democratic negotiations with policy-makers on reforms to take effect in the Hungarian education system in 2013.

Canadian educator unionists have condemned the Ontarian liberal government’s ultimatum for local teachers’ unions and school boards that has both sides of the conflict currently in a stalemate. Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten said that if the teachers' unions and school boards do not sign the proposed new deals by...

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT), along with other influential organisations, has urged U.S. Labour Secretary Hilda Solis to release her Department’s finding concerning Bahrain’s compliance with provisions of the U.S.-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement (FTA). AFT, one of EI’s affiliates in the U.S., was joined in the initiative by the...

Two of EI’s national affiliates, the Botswana Secondary Teachers Union (BOSETU) and the Botswana Teachers’ Union (BTU), have warmly welcomed a High Court decision ruling in favour of trade unionists who had challenged the government’s decision to declare some services essential.

EI’s national affiliate, the Education and Science Employees’ Union of Russia (ESEUR), has called for a renegotiation of a newly proposed law that will close thousands of Russia’s educational institutions in 2013. President Putin has backed the law, along with several others that will aim to privatise Russia’s education system,...

EI national affiliates in the UK reacted angrily to Prime Minister David Cameron’s suggestion that teachers were not “playing their part” in school sports. The National Union of Teachers (NUT) and the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) were reacting to Cameron’s call for “a big cultural...

The Namibia National Teachers’ Union (NANTU), EI’s national affiliate, has applauded the Ministry of Education’s decision to provide free and compulsory education at primary level.

The Colegio de Profesores (CPC), EI national affiliate, has condemned the violent actions of the Chilean Police Special Force, that reacted with "violence and unjust repression” against a student protest.

The Federation of Teaching Organisations of Honduras (FOMH) has mobilised in defence of the work of school teachers, their Social Security, and public education in Honduras.

On 9 August, International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, EI reaffirms the rights of indigenous children to universal quality education at all levels.

In the United States, both the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) held their conventions in July. The meetings were marked by the presidential elections, as NEA and AFT are actively supporting the re-election of President Obama next November.