education and learning
News and articles about work, policy and workers' and students' struggles in education around the world.
France: Schoolchildren join student and teacher strikes
Across the country secondary school students are voting to join strikes in support of university students and the wider struggle.
Tomorrow many of France's teachers will go on strike as part of a wider civil service action. Some universities have seen staff vote on further solidarity action with students.
Behind the unrest in France, 2007
Jef Costello examines the reasons behind the recent wave of strikes and university occupations in France.
The keyword in current French politics is reform. Both presidential candidates claimed that France needs to modernise to be able to complete on a global level. Surveys showed that most voters identified both Royal and Sarkozy as 'candidats de la rupture' meaning that they represented a break, a break from the traditions of working class militancy and France's revolutionary and socialist past.
France: classroom assistants strike for better conditions
Classroom assistants in the Puy de Dome region launched a strike today, marching to the education department and demanding a meeting with its head.
The assistants (AVSs) mostly work supporting disabled students. Of the 21 AVSs present at the first organisational meeting, only 6 worked full time, most of the other being on 3/4 part time contracts.
France: more universities vote to strike
Information is at a premium, with official channels giving reports that do not tally with experiences on the ground, with actions going unreported or unconfirmed.
There were votes for strike action today at Bourgogne, Amiens and Lille II universities. Filtered barrages were voted for at Paris XII, Orleans and Chambery.
Riot police attack the blockades at Nanterre university 13/11/2007
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An account from one of those at the blockades, with a few minor edits and additions for clarity.
At least 150 students started the blockade from 7am, at one point the blockade of the F building looked to be under threat, but by the time I arrived there were easily 250 people blocking the doors. The law students threw apples at the pickets but discipline was maintained on the picket lines so as not to give the police an excuse to atack.
Updates from Nanterre
Some of today's events at Nanterre
The day began badly with the university authorities calling the police. Around 100 Gendarmes were used to break the blockade, tear gas and batons were used on the picketers. There were no arrests, the police satisfying themselves with hitting a few people, although there do not appear to have been any serious injuries.
France: university students continue strikes
More news from the developing movement in France.
Many of France's 84 universities are now on strike and blockaded, Rouen, Nantes,Tours, Tolbiac (Paris 1), La Sorbonne Clignancourt, Lille I et III, Rennes II, Toulouse, Perpignan, Caen (Lettres et Sciences), Nanterre, Montpellier I, II and II, Pau, Aix, Lyon II, Metz, Limoges, Nancy and Paris VIII. Some universities have strikes with no blockades, Le Havre, and Toulouse Rangeuil.
Classroom assistants to renew strike action in Northern Ireland
Thousands of Northern Ireland classroom assistants are to resume their strike action next week.
The Nipsa union's 3,000 members will be out on picket lines two days a week until Christmas, and many special schools will be affected. The union says the action was agreed unanimously at a meeting of its strike committee in Cookstown on Thursday.
France: some updates on student strikes
Updates and reports from AG, blockades and strikes across France.
This update is not comprehensive but it has most of the available information, additionally some universities are still on holiday and therefore no action can take place.
Aix-en-Provence, the AG at the litterature campus, held yesterday, voted to continue the strike and the blockade until the next AG on Tuesday (465 for, 250 against) (09/11/07)
Nanterre strike leaflet
A translation of a leaflet distributed by students involved in the strike action and blockades.
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NANTERRE VOTES TO STRIKE
The General Assembly (AG) at Nanterre on Thursday 8th of November broguht together over 1000 students, teachers and staff of the university. More and more universities are joining the strike.
A large majority at the AG voted for the repeal of the law on autonomy for universities and for the blockade of the university until Monday.
