LT-UTLA strike story (1)

I write you on behalf of the Oilfields Workers’ Trade Union of Trinidad and Tobago to express our complete solidarity with you during this difficult time for teachers. As the voice of labour looms over the unfortunate realities of ineffective governments, time and time again we continue to see the burden of adjustment being placed on the working class…    Continue reading →

Massive Demonstrations of Public Teachers Against Layoffs

Athens,  January, 21 2019

The teachers of Greece once again took to the streets on Thursday, January 17 to protest against the layoffs of thousands of teachers announced by the SYRIZA Government.

After the brutal attack against the teachers demonstration on Monday, January 14, thousands of teachers and employees of the public sector went on strike to demand the cancelation of the bill that will lead thousands of teachers to unemployment.

From their demonstration, the class oriented unions of teachers expressed their solidarity with the teachers in Los Angeles and other countries who are also fighting for their rights.

At the demonstration also took part delegation of FISE WFTU.

Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/141955787@N05/albums/72157688869195733

Mexico City, November 15, 2019

GREECE: Internationalist Solidarity with the Teachers Service Workers.

The International Federation of Teachers Unions (FISE) representing the 122 member countries of the five continents, and being one of the UIS Affiliated to the WFTU-FSM (WORLD FEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS) with its more than 95 million workers in 130 countries, expressing itself by Full Support and Internationalist Solidarity, to give its full support in the struggle that the thousands of fellow teachers of Greece, in the National strike, to defend their labor and union rights. Likewise we CONDEMN AND REPUDIATE ENERGY THE ATTACKS suffered and caused by the Government SYRIZA-ANEL, towards the fellow workers, of PAME, Mrs. Drimala Theodora, as well as the student of the School of Philosophy and the Deputy Mr. Delis Yiannis of the Communist Party KKE, the events in Athens, Greece, have demonstrated and demonstrated the ineptitude and clearly the inability to govern, BY THE GOVERNMENT OF SYRIZA-ANAEL, because in wanting to impose a policy, totally undemocratic and anti-popular, same that seeks to leave thousands of unemployed teachers and increase the budget cut to Education, this has opted instead of listening to the voices of the workers and colleagues of the teaching service and in turn to reach fair bilateral agreements that lead to job stability, chose through authoritarianism and savagery block the protest with excessive violence and the excessive use of force, using tear gas and grenades Join the crowd.
WE DEMAND AN IMMEDIATE HIGH TO ALL REPRESSIONS AND ATTACKS against Education and against our fellow teachers, holding the Government in charge of any current and future situation that leads to a fatal outcome. We also want to manifest a speedy recovery to the wounded comrades wishing them health and strength.

From the FISE and the WFTU will continue fighting side by side, hand in hand, until achieving victory for the class worker finally ratify that we will be pending and waiting to initiate immediate actions and Internationalist, if the arbitrariness and attacks of the Government of SYRIZA-ANAEL against the fellow teachers, making at the same time an attentive call to all countries and members in the 5 continents to be active and ready to join the fight, let’s demonstrate our INTERNATIONAL CLASS UNIT. Let us join our voices in solidarity and the governments that today try to oppress us will fall !!!

Important union organizations UNITED IN ACTION AND WITH TOTAL SUPPORT adding forces.

• NO MORE ATTACKS AND REPRESSIONS AGAINST THE TEACHERS OF GREECE.
• WORK STABILITY AND GREATER BUDGET FOR EDUCATION.
• HIGH TO THE PROJECT OF LAW THAT SEEKS TO LEAVE WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT TO THOUSANDS OF TEACHERS.
• IMMEDIATE REINSTALLATION OF THE DISMISSED.
• GUARANTEES OF SOCIAL SECURITY BY THE GOVERNMENT.
• RESPECT FOR THE LEGITIMATE RIGHT TO STRIKE.
• SOLUTION TO THE DEMANDS, AS WELL AS OTHER DEMANDS EXPRESSED ON THE FIGHT PLATFORM.

Mariano García
Secretary General of the FISE
El SECRETARIAT

Education in general has been deeply affected by the crisis. Education must answer to the modern needs and potentials, must form people with true knowledge of the laws of nature and society, with confidence and ability to take control of their lives. Today, we see that not even basic needs of schools are covered.

After more than 10 without any permanent hirings in education, the Greek Goverment has announced that will hire 15.000 school teachers the next three years starting this year. This number is far behind the real needs in education. These years, more than 30.000 teachers have worked in education as “replacement teachers”. We are talking about teachers that are being hired with “expiration date”, in the middle of the school year, they get fired every june, they are forced to move around the country to cover the needs of education leaving their homes and families behind. There are thousands of teachers that have worked that way for years. The bill the goverment has recently brought to the parliament sets a number of criteria that fires many of these people. Greek teachers are on a struggle against these firings, demanding the permanent hiring of – at least – 30.000 teachers who are already working in education as replacement teachers.

2. What are the implications of the governments policies in the field of Education?

The goverment policies in education consist of budget cuts and new measures in the entire field of education. The schools lack teachers, school classes and entire schools have been closed (and they would be more if the teachers and students didn’t protest against these closings), student care is far behind the true huge needs.

3. What were the promises made by the Syriza during the elections regarding the education sector and do they have accomplished any of them?

Before the elections, SYRIZA was telling the greek people that it would abolish the memorandum for the Greek economy that was signed by the previous Goverments. Instead, it has proven that is implementing and extending the same strategy as the other political parties that ruled Greece in all sectors. We are talking about the EU, OECD strategy, the guidelines given in order to adjust education to the needs of big business groups. That is why education finances continued to be low, there were no permanent hirings of teachers all these years, student care is under-financed, even school buildings are facing problems in many parts of the country. That is why the greek parliament has voted a series of bills that regard education, merging universities, making education cheaper for the state. At the same time the Goverment is giving away money to the enterprises, is spending million for military expenses for NATO.

4. What are the alternatives that you can propose for reforms in Education sector as from the teachers front of PAME and from KKE?

Our proposal is based on the fact that today, mankind has accomplished great steps in science and technology. All people could and should take advantage in a modern, fully equipped school, that provides all the means for a real education for all children. The education that people really need demands greater changes in society, economy, in order to put peoples needs ahead of the profits of the capitalists.