education and learning
News and articles about work, policy and workers' and students' struggles in education around the world.
Notes on working at a sixth form college library, London 2005-2007
Between 2005-2007 a member of the libcom group worked term-time in the library at a Sixth Form College in London. This article/interview documents his attempts to organise his workplace and touches on some wider issues around working in education in the UK.
So where did you work? What was it like?
Since some of my friends are still working there, and I hope there is still some organising going on, I won't identify the college directly, but some background information would be useful.
Mexico: Union leaders accused of attacking their own members
Striking teachers in Cuidad Juarez have accused union bosses of being behind an attack on them.
Members of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores en Educación (National Union of Education Workers) are pointing the finger at their local union bosses following an attack on the worker-occupied union headquarters in Cuidad Juárez in Mexico in which "punches were thrown" and equipment was damaged.
Central African Republic: teachers threaten strike
Secondary and primary school teachers are threatening strike action over wage arrears.
Teachers are demanding the payment of three months salary before the new school term starts. The government last year made an undertaking to pay teachers' wages promptly, this included an agreement to pay three months wages before the new term begins this September.
Mali: Strike by university workers
Workers at the National centre for university works (CENOU) went on strike today after management "completely ignored" their demands.
Workers launched a 72 hour stoppage on Tuesday morning, this strike follows a 48 hour stoppage two weeks ago which failed to bring management to the negotiation table. The CENOU is responsible for University transport, lodgings, food, bursaries and sanitation.
Colombia: hunger strike at Cuaca University
A group of sixteen students have launched a hunger strike at Cuaca University in Popayan (Southern Colombia).
Student protests against privatisation and for freedom of speech began several months ago, culminating in the occupation of the historical centre in San Domingo. On May 31st Colombian Police special forces (ESMAD) broke the occupation with the help of a tank. In the process causing damage to the centre, recognised as a world heritage site.
First day of school cancelled in Palestine due to strikes
Palestinian children were due to begin their first day back at school on Saturday, however in the West Bank, school was suspended due to a teachers' union strike.
The teachers are protesting a government decision to reduce weekends to one day per week and end having Saturday as a day-off. In Tulkarem, in the northern West Bank, Ma'an's correspondent reported that the streets were teeming with students returning from school after finding their teachers absent from the classrooms.
Student revolt: riots across Bangladesh
A clash on Monday 20 Aug on Dhaka University campus, when students at a football game were manhandled by soldiers, has escalated into a nationwide student revolt.
Despite apologies for the assault from the government, their withdrawal of troops from Dhaka campus and the promise of an official enquiry, unrest has spread and become a more general protest against the caretaker government and its long-running State of Emergency.
Fiji: Public sector strikes grow amid death threats and intimidation
A week long strike by 1400 nurses in Fiji expanded on Thursday as 1000 teachers and 300 public works, water and sewerage workers also began strike action.
They are demanding the reversal of a 5% pay cut and the changing of the retirement age from 60 to 55, and an additional 10% pay rise. The pay cut and change in retirement age were announced shortly after the military government took power in a coup last December.
UNISON education workers accept pay offer
In a UNISON consultation, only four of fifty-three colleges reject 2% and 1% sequenced pay increases. Offer is "not quite bad enough," national officer comments.
Workers in England's further education and sixth form colleges have voted to accept the employers' 2007/8 pay offer.
UNISON's consultation with members saw 53 colleges respond, with only four rejecting the offer of a 2% rise from 1 August 2007 and a further 1% increase from 1 February 2008, applying to all salaries and allowances.
‘General strike’ spreads across Peru
As an indefinite teachers strike continues into its 12th day, farmers, miners and construction workers joined the protests, with one farmer shot dead by police.
The latest death brings the reported death toll to 4 over the last week in what has been described by some media as a general strike. The strike began when the teachers union struck against a new law requiring all teachers to sit regular competency exams (libcom.org coverge here).
