Ei-iE

Democracy

Democracy is vital to healthy societies and critical to ensuring all human rights are respected. Essential as it is, democracy is not irreversible. In recent years, even established democracies have witnessed the rise of authoritarianism that threatens to tear the very fabric of our communities.

Defending and advancing democracy is central to the purpose of the trade union movement in education. The right to education, trade union rights and freedom of expression are critical enabling rights that help to leverage other rights. Together with our member organisations, we mobilise in support of democracy through trade union action and through education.

If we want democracy, we have to demand it, and we have to be able to educate children who will make and remake it.

Timothy Snyder

We believe that the strongest safeguard of democracy is quality education with trained and supported teachers who enjoy full professional autonomy. Some of the profession’s collective wisdom was brought together in “On Education and Democracy: 25 Lessons from the Teaching Profession”. Authored by our President, Susan Hopgood, and our General Secretary Emeritus, Fred van Leeuwen, the book serves as an invitation to all educators to take a stand in defence of democracy and to consider contributions that teachers, schools, universities, and representative organisations can make to solidify and progress democratic life.

Our work in this area

  1. News 19 May 2025

    From South Korea to Uruguay, Togo and the United States: Online and offline communications drive union campaigns

    The role of teachers in stopping an impending coup in South Korea, how they approach online organizing in the U.S. and how Uruguay used the Go Public! Fund Education campaign to successfully mobilize during a presidential election, were some of the themes addressed during the most recent meeting of Education...

    From South Korea to Uruguay, Togo and the United States: Online and offline communications drive union campaigns
  2. Worlds of Education 8 May 2025

    Higher education under attack

    Randi Weingarten

    President Donald Trump has declared war on America’s colleges and universities, demanding they bow to his demands on what they can teach and whom they can admit or hire. Trump’s illegal and autocratic actions are tantamount to a war on knowledge intended to force schools to bend the knee to...

    Higher education under attack
  3. News 6 May 2025

    Germany: education unions welcome new federal minister and call for ambitious reforms

    Germany’s education unions, the VBE and GEW, welcome the appointment of Karin Prien as Minister for Education, Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Young People and call for ambitious reforms to improve education in Germany. The unions express high expectations and emphasise the need for massive investment to meet existing challenges...

    Germany: education unions welcome new federal minister and call for ambitious reforms
  4. News 5 May 2025

    Haiti : Education in the midst of an unprecedented crisis

    As the country faces a political and security crisis that has brought it to a standstill, Haitian teachers are rallying to save education. Between school closures, strikes and chaotic relocations, the situation is alarming. Unions are sounding the alarm and calling for collective action to get things back on track.

    Haiti : Education in the midst of an unprecedented crisis
  5. News 2 May 2025

    United States: Educators and allies turn out in force on May Day to demand dignity, safe schools, and a fairer future

    Across the United States and around the world, working people came together on May 1st, International Workers Day, to honor the legacy of those who fought for workers' rights and to carry that fight forward. In the United States tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets across the...

    United States: Educators and allies turn out in force on May Day to demand dignity, safe schools, and a fairer future
  6. News 29 April 2025

    Nepal: Brutal attack on teachers sparks global union outrage and solidarity

    Nepali police brutally attacked teachers peacefully protesting in Kathmandu, leaving more than 60 educators injured, a clear violation of basic human rights and an unacceptable response to teacher concerns. The incident has drawn strong condemnation and international solidarity from the education union movement, highlighting the urgent need for education reform...

    Nepal: Brutal attack on teachers sparks global union outrage and solidarity
  7. Worlds of Education 25 April 2025

    The 25th of April and the paths of the teaching profession in Portugal

    Almerindo Janela Afonso

    The 25th of April, forever! This is the rallying cry of those who continue to believe in the key promises of our democratic revolution of 25th April 1974. In recent years, contrary to what the utopias of the revolutionary process promised, the idea of emancipation has been forgotten or has...

    The 25th of April and the paths of the teaching profession in Portugal
  8. Statements 7 April 2025

    Global Unions demand that humanitarian aid reaches Myanmar’s people, not the military junta

    Stop the Military Attacks and the Weaponisation of Earthquake Disaster Relief!

    We, members of the Council of Global Unions (CGU), stand in solidarity with the people of Myanmar following the devastating recent earthquake. We have been outraged by the Myanmar military junta’s continued attacks, exploitation of a humanitarian crisis, and deliberate obstruction of life-saving assistance through indiscriminate aerial bombings and systematic...

    Global Unions demand that humanitarian aid reaches Myanmar’s people, not the military junta
  9. Statements 3 April 2025

    Resolution of the Executive Board of Education International on the attacks on public education, democracy, and union values in the United States

    In response to an avalanche of authoritarian measures enacted by the Trump Administration, the Executive Board of Education International, during its 70th meeting, on 1-3 April 2025, unequivocally reaffirms its commitment to public education, inclusive democracy, and human and trade union rights in the United States and around the world.

    Resolution of the Executive Board of Education International on the attacks on public education, democracy, and union values in the United States
  10. Statements 31 March 2025

    Global Unions condemn the attacks on U.S. federal employees and the elimination of the crucial ILAB program

    The Council of Global Unions (CGU), representing over 200 million workers worldwide through the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), the Global Union Federations (GUFs), and the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), strongly condemns the latest attacks by the Trump administration on the fundamental rights of workers both...

    Global Unions condemn the attacks on U.S. federal employees and the elimination of the crucial ILAB program
  11. News 26 March 2025

    Education unions around the world stand in solidarity with educators in the United States as they rise to oppose attacks on education and democracy

    Education International member organisations in the United States – the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) – continue to receive an outpouring of support from education unionists across the globe. The U.S. unions are joining forces to resist the unprecedented attacks by the Trump administration...

    Education unions around the world stand in solidarity with educators in the United States as they rise to oppose attacks on education and democracy
  12. News 18 March 2025

    United States: Trump administration slashes Department of Education workforce in continued attack on public education, teachers, and students

    As part of his continued attack on the right to education in the United States, the Trump Administration enacted a series of severe cuts to the Department of Education, including laying off close to half of the agency's workforce. The layoffs are part of the Trump administration’s plans to gut...

    United States: Trump administration slashes Department of Education workforce in continued attack on public education, teachers, and students
  13. News 5 March 2025

    United States: Massive day of action to protect children’s right to quality education!

    On March 4th, educators, students, parents and community allies stood up against assaults on public education and on opportunity for America’s youth. They called on lawmakers to strengthen, not undermine, local public schools and the services they provide to children, families and communities. Over 2,000 union events were held and...

    United States: Massive day of action to protect children’s right to quality education!
  14. News 14 February 2025

    United States: Education unions rally to oppose Trump education policies

    The National Education Association (NEA) and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) are mobilizing against the education policies of the new Trump administration which include abolishing the crucial Department of Education, giving access to the private data of millions to an unaccountable billionaire, and expanding private education at the expense...

    United States: Education unions rally to oppose Trump education policies
  15. News 12 February 2025

    Defending academic freedom: Higher education unions mobilise against escalating attacks

    Across the world, governments, right-wing pressure groups, conservative and religious organisations, and corporate interests are escalating their attacks on academic freedom. Efforts to censor curricula, restrict research, and erode institutional autonomy are increasing, and political harassment of educators is becoming more widespread.

    Defending academic freedom: Higher education unions mobilise against escalating attacks
  16. News 12 February 2025

    United States: Education unions denounce Trump's attacks on students, teachers, schools, academic freedom, civil rights, public education, democracy, and even school lunches for vulnerable children

    Educators in the United States are standing up to an avalanche of measures by the new administration of President Donald Trump, who has put privatization, dismantling the Department of Education, attacking immigrant students and families, abolishing civil rights, and restricting academic freedom at the core of his education agenda.

    United States: Education unions denounce Trump's attacks on students, teachers, schools, academic freedom, civil rights, public education, democracy, and even school lunches for vulnerable children
  17. News 3 February 2025

    Germany: Unions denounce extremist political party presence in education trade fair

    After learning about the presence of the “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) political party at Germany's largest education fair, didacta, the two largest educational unions in Germany, the Gewerkschaft Erziehung und Wissenschaft (Education and Science Union-GEW) and the Verband Bildung und Erziehung (Association for Education and Training-VBE), expressed their strong disapproval...

    Germany: Unions denounce extremist political party presence in education trade fair
  18. News 31 January 2025

    Education International calls for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar

    Four years since the coup d'état in Myanmar, democracy defenders continue to bravely resist the military junta. Educators around the world fully support our colleagues and the people of Myanmar in their struggle for freedom.

    Education International calls for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar