AFT Leaders Meet with Macedonian Ambassador to the United States
Discuss Continued Attacks on Macedonia’s Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American Federation of Teachers (AFT) leaders met on Wednesday with the Macedonian ambassador to the United States to discuss disturbing and continued attacks on union members in Macedonia. 

“These attacks on the rights of Macedonian workers to free association and collective bargaining are an affront to democracy,” said AFT President Edward J. McElroy.  McElroy sent a letter to Macedonia’s prime minister earlier this month outlining AFT’s support for that nation’s Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture (SONK).

SONK recently disaffiliated from the Macedonian Union Confederation (CCM), Macedonia’s umbrella labor organization.  CCM continues to interfere in SONK’s negotiations with the government and has repeatedly tried to undermine the authority of SONK’s elected leaders. 

The AFT leaders also called for resumed negotiations between SONK and the Macedonian government and expressed their concern to Macedonian Ambassador Nikola Dimitrov about SONK members being harassed by ruling party officials, mayors and school administrators.  Several SONK members have been told they will lose their jobs if they remain in SONK or don’t support CCM.  SONK’s telephones have been cut off and its bank account frozen.

“The meeting with Ambassador Dimitrov was productive but just a first step,” said AFT Vice President Thomas Y. Hobart Jr.  “Negotiations between the government and SONK must resume. We intend to continue to monitor the situation, and we are committed to supporting SONK during this difficult period.”  Hobart also noted that AFT and the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center have sent representatives from Washington, D.C., to SONK’s Fourth National Congress, which will take place in Skopje on Oct. 22, 2005.

In addition to Hobart, the AFT delegation at Wednesday’s meeting included AFT International Affairs Director David Dorn and Associate Director Helen Toth. They were joined by the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center’s Executive Director Harry Kamberis.

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