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Bulgarian Teachers Begin Hunger Strike
AFT president Edward J. McElroy has called on the government of Bulgaria to negotiate with teacher unions on wages and working conditions in that country. In a letter to Bulgarian prime minister Serguei Stanishev, McElroy noted that teachers in Bulgaria make less than $200 a month. In November, 2,000 teachers began a hunger strike to protest wages and working conditions. McElroy called on the government to begin talks with the Podkrepa Education Union and the Bulgarian Teachers' Trade Union on the educators' requests. To see the letter, click here. (12/05)
AFT-Africa AIDS Campaign Will Expand Programs
On World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, the AFT announced that it will expand its educational efforts under the AFT-Africa AIDS Campaign to help prevent deaths and suffering caused by the most monumental health challenge of our time. With our partners in African teacher unions, the we have launched a new initiative to train and mobilize teachers to counsel and support orphans and vulnerable children along the East African transport corridor, a major source of AIDS transmission. In addition, the AFT and our union partners are placing more emphasis on developing and enforcing school-workplace policies on AIDS as a strategic tool to protect teachers and students. Read more about the AFT-Africa AIDS Campaign's ongoing work here: http://www.aft.org/partners/africa-aids/recent.htm (12/05)
Macedonian Government to Meet with Union Leaders
AFT president Edward McElroy has written to the prime minister of Macedonia praising the recent decision of the Macedonian government to resume discussions with the Trade Union of Education, Science and Culture (SONK). McElroy called the government's decision "an important step" and said he hopes it indicates "a sincere commitment to workers' rights." To read the full letter, click here. (11/05)
100,000 March in Australia To Protest Government
More than 100,000 workers gathered in Melbourne, Australia, this month to protest the economic policies of Australia's conservative government. The demonstration was part of a National Day of Community Protests, organized by the Australia Council of Trade Unions. AFT president Edward J. McElroy sent a message of support to Sharon Burrows, president of the Australia Council, and congratulated her on the success of the grass-roots mobilization. Read President McElroy's letter here.
(11/05)
AFT Protests Arrests of Unionists in Zimbabwe
AFT president Edward J. McElroy has written to Zimbabwe's ambassador to the United States protesting the Nov. 8 arrest of more than 200 trade union leaders in Harare, Zimbabwe. The union leaders were arrested at the start of a peaceful demonstration against the government of Prime Minister Robert Mugabe. Press reports indicate that some of the leaders may have been tortured. In his letter to Ambassador Zimbi Veke Mubako, McElroy called for the immediate release of the arrested unionists. "Your government's conduct in this matter represents a grave threat to the workers of Zimbabwe and to your government's standing in the world community," he said. (11-9-05)
Ethiopian Teachers' Association Leader Arrested
Kassahun Kebede, chairman of the Addis Ababa branch of the Ethiopian Teachers' Association, was arrested on Nov. 1 and the union's headquarters were occupied by the police. In a letter to Ethiopian prime minister Meles Zenawi, AFT president Edward J. McElroy noted that the arrest and occupation of the union offices "represent serious violations of internationally recognized human and labor rights standards. Mr. Kebede should be released immediately and the offices of the teachers' union should be vacated by the police." (11-9-05)
AFT Leaders Meet with Macedonian Ambassador to Discuss Attacks on Union
AFT representatives met with the Macedonian ambassador to the United States in Washington, D.C., in October to discuss what the union says are "disturbing and continued attacks" on union leaders and members in Macedonia.
(10-27-05) MORE ...
McElroy Calls for Release of Cambodian Union Leader
AFT president Ed McElroy has written to Cambodian president Samdech Hun Sen calling for the release of Rong Chhun, president of the Cambodian Independent Teachers Union, who was arrested and imprisoned in October as part of the continued intimidation of the independent trade union movement in Cambodia. Chhun was charged with defamation for expressing his opinion regarding a recent government decision to transfer Cambodian territory to Vietnam. Press reports indicate that a prominent Cambodian journalist was also arrested and similarly charged. "It is an undemocratic abuse of power for your government to incarcerate journalists, union leaders or any citizen for holding and expressing opinions unfavorable to you," McElroy said in his letter. (10-21-05)
AFT Saddened by Loss of Life, Destruction in Earthquake
AFT members are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life and massive destruction caused by the Oct. 8 earthquake that struck in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, said AFT president Edward J. McElroy. (10-10-05) MORE...
New AIDS Program with South African Unions
The collaborative partnership between the AFT and teacher unions in South Africa was expanded this fall with the launching of a pilot program to combine peer education, HIV testing and counseling, and treatment for South African teachers with HIV/AIDS. (10-06-05) MORE...
World Teachers' Day 2005
World Teachers' Day, Oct. 5, was celebrated in more than 100 countries around the world this year. The theme of this year's commemoration is "Training for a Stronger Teaching Force." Education International, representing 30 million educators throughout the world, notes that World Teachers’ Day "provides a great opportunity to highlight the challenges faced by teachers as well as the importance of teacher training." For details, go to the Education International Web site. (10-5-05)
AFT president Edward J. McElroy strongly condemned the brutal murder of five teachers and a schoolbus driver at an Iraqi elementary school south of Baghdad, declaring that "if terrorists succeed in turning schools into killing fields, there will be no chance for peace or stability in Iraq." (10-04-05)MORE...
Educator Marks Anniversary of Solidarity Strike
August 2005 marks the 25th anniversary of a momentous strike by a determined group of Polish shipyard workers. It was the beginning of Solidarity, the union that after a nine-year struggle toppled the Communist government in Poland and led to the end of communism throughout Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The summer edition of American Educator celebrates Solidarity and remembers the critical role that the AFL-CIO, under then-president Lane Kirkland, played to keep the union strong after martial law was declared and thousands of Solidarity activists were jailed. International issues are also the subject of the magazine’s Notebook segment, featuring brief reports on worker conditions in China. (8/05)
AFT Joins Discussion on Health Worker Migration
AFT Healthcare was among 14 public sector unions from around the world that met in Amsterdam to take part in Public Services International's project on women and international migration in the health sector. PSI is the international body for public sector unions. The project seeks to combat the exploitative and discriminatory recruitment and employment practices in the healthcare sector. AFT Healthcare and the other PSI unions came together to establish a program to educate healthcare workers from developing countries who are being recruited to work in countries such as the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom about their rights in the workplace and their rights as immigrants. For more information, please visit PSI’s health policy Web site. (8/05)
Educator Offers Vision of Hope for Afghanistan
In a country weary of war and still reeling from the brutal repression of the Taliban, Afghan educator Sakena Yacoobi is an antidote to despair. Over the past 10 years, Yacoobi has organized education and health services for thousands of women and girls in refugee camps in Pakistan and in Afghanistan, and she is only just getting started. (7/05) MORE...
AFT Joins Team to Observe Mexican Union Election
The AFT and the AFL-CIO Solidarity Center sent a team of observers to Leon, Mexico, in late May to support a group of independent teachers fighting to win an election against an incumbent government-controlled union. (6/05) MORE...
AFT Delegation: Hopes for the Future in Kosovo
Six years after a 78-day NATO bombing campaign ended fighting in Kosovo, the effects of a war fueled by ethnic conflict and repression still remain. The infrastructure is poor, with roads, buildings, homes and schools still in need of repair. Unemployment is high, salaries low. And, most importantly, reconciliation between the majority ethnic Albanians and the Serb minority remains elusive. (5/05)
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AFT Delegation Meets Macedonia Union
A delegation led by AFT president Edward J. McElroy met with leaders of Macedonia's teachers' union in the capital city Skopje this spring to express the AFT's support for the union's success in building one of the only multi-ethnic trade union in the Balkans. (5/05) MORE...
Lessons on Latin America: New Curriculum Available
A curriculum unit aimed at helping secondary students learn more about Latin America is available free to AFT members. (5/05) MORE…
