Ei-iE

Trade union rights

Spotlight

Trade unionists are far too often subject to attacks by repressive governments. Every year, many are subjected to violence, arrest and imprisonment, torture and even murder. Trade union leaders in education are targeted by non-democratic governments who seek total control of education and deny teachers and education support personnel their rights.

Even in democratic countries, many education workers are denied the right to join unions and/or engage in collective bargaining. Where bargaining exists, limits on its scope can be imposed. Moreover, teachers and education support personnel are denied the right to strike.

Education International also supports the right of students to organise and join the fight for more inclusive and democratic communities.

Working closely with our member organisations, other global unions and human rights networks, we use supervisory mechanisms at the national, regional and global levels to ensure rights and standards are respected and social dialogue is effective.

Solidarity actions among our global membership are a powerful tool to advance rights everywhere.

Education International plays a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and interests of education workers globally, also at influential platforms like the International Labour Organization (ILO) conference.

News

  1. Trade union rights are human rights 13 September 2024

    Guatemala: Murder of teacher and union leader René Sucup Morán condemned worldwide

    Education International and its Regional Committee for Latin America condemn the murder of René Sucup Morán, a teacher and STEG union leader, and call on the government to ensure an immediate and full investigation. The international trade union and education community insists that this crime must not go unpunished and...

    Read more Guatemala: Murder of teacher and union leader René Sucup Morán condemned worldwide
  2. Trade union rights are human rights 11 September 2024

    Education International calls for the immediate release of Palestinian teacher union activist Fatima Nimer Al-Rimawi

    Fatima Nimer Al-Rimawi, a 54-year-old Palestinian kindergarten teacher, is the President of the Jericho branch of the Palestine General Union of Workers in Kindergarten and Private Schools (GUWKPS), a member organisation of Education International. In January 2024, she was arrested at her home by the Israeli Defense Forces and transferred...

    Read more Education International calls for the immediate release of Palestinian teacher union activist Fatima Nimer Al-Rimawi
  3. Trade union rights are human rights 19 July 2024

    Education International Launches Petition in Support of Swaziland National Association of Teachers

    Education International (EI) launched a petition on the trade union platform LabourStart in support of the the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) , its affiliate in the country. EI called on the Eswatini Teaching Service Commission (TSC) to recognize the SNAT as a partner in social dialogue, reinstate SNAT...

    Read more Education International Launches Petition in Support of Swaziland National Association of Teachers
  4. Trade union rights are human rights 25 June 2024

    Global Rights Index stresses the critical connection between workers’ rights and democracy

    "This year’s report makes for difficult reading – a clear and urgent wake-up call that the future of democracy and fundamental rights agreed by most countries at an international level are at risk”, warned Luc Triangle, ITUC General Secretary, as introduction to the 2024 ITUC Global Rights Index .

    Read more Global Rights Index stresses the critical connection between workers’ rights and democracy
  5. Trade union rights are human rights 31 May 2024

    Guatemala: Education union leaders under attack for defending quality public education

    Education International Latin America (EILA) has written to the government of Guatemala to protest the persecution of the leadership of its member organisation in the country, the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Educación de Guatemala (STEG).

    Read more Guatemala: Education union leaders under attack for defending quality public education
more: News

International Labour Conference

  1. Trade union rights are human rights 1 July 2024

    Education unions call on ILO to ensure implementation of UN recommendations on the teaching profession

    At the 112th session of the International Labour Conference, the delegation of Education International brought attention to the recommendations of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession as the new landmark instrument for governments to engage with teacher unions, aiming to improve the status of education workers and...

    Read more Education unions call on ILO to ensure implementation of UN recommendations on the teaching profession
  2. Trade union rights are human rights 11 June 2024

    Education International calls on the ILO to ensure UN recommendations on the teaching profession are implemented

    At the 112th session of the International Labour Conference, Education International Deputy General Secretary Haldis Holst called for better salaries and working conditions to address the global teacher shortage. She further called for the implementation of the landmark recommendations of the United Nations High-Level Panel on the Teaching Profession, as...

    Read more Education International calls on the ILO to ensure UN recommendations on the teaching profession are implemented
  3. Trade union rights are human rights 5 June 2024

    Education International delegation to defend teachers’ rights at the International Labour Conference

    From 3-14 June, an Education International (EI) delegation is attending the 112th session of the International Labour Conference. Sixty-nine teachers and education professionals from 35 countries are present at the annual conference of the International Labour Organization (ILO).

    Read more Education International delegation to defend teachers’ rights at the International Labour Conference
  4. Trade union rights are human rights 8 June 2023

    The voice of teachers rings out at the 111th International Labour Conference

    Education International (EI) is the voice of teachers and education support personnel worldwide. As such, EI advocates for quality education for all, social justice, democracy, and professional rights and freedoms. From 5 to 16 June 2023, an Education International delegation is in Geneva to represent teachers everywhere at the 111th...

    Read more The voice of teachers rings out at the 111th International Labour Conference
more: International Labour Conference

Resources

Name Date Type Lang

Trade union rights toolkit

8 December 2022 file Download