International Solidarity in Action: Threatening Budget Amendments Fail to Pass

The joint and strong response from Education International, the European Trade Union Committee for Education, and the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine, backed by 36 trade unions from around the world, showed the power of global solidarity. As a result, the dangerous amendments to the State Budget proposed by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Education, Science, and Innovation were not adopted.

The proposed changes would have led to mass layoffs of teachers, forced transition to fixed-term contracts, increased teaching workload, and violations of the Ukrainian Constitution and international labor standards. If adopted, this could have caused irrevocable damage to the teaching profession, the quality of education, and the post-war recovery of the country.

Education International and the ETUCE promptly called on all member organizations worldwide to send a letter to the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine demanding that these amendments be withdrawn, as well as to publicly express solidarity with the Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine by also joining the information flash mob in support of Ukrainian teachers. 

The call was joined by trade unions from Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, Norway, Lithuania, Moldova, New Zealand, Sweden, the Netherlands, Argentina, Spain, South Africa, Hungary, Italy, Finland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Kosovo, Ireland, Brazil, Taiwan, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Zambia, Dominican Republic, Portugal, Switzerland, Republic of Cyprus.

Official letters, public statements, active responses from EI, ETUCE and trade unions in various countries, and the consistent work of the Trade Union of Education of Ukraine generated powerful international pressure and helped protect the labor rights of educators.

International solidarity plays an important role in Ukraine today, proving that the professional dignity of teachers can be defended even in the most difficult conditions of war.

The Trade Union of Education and Science Workers of Ukraine expresses its sincere gratitude to Education International, the European Trade Union Committee for Education, and the entire international education community for their solidarity, support, and joint struggle to protect the rights of Ukrainian teachers.