Around the world, there has been “a lot of brinkmanship” with governments, said David Edwards, the general secretary of Education International, a Brussels-based international federation of teachers unions. “Teachers unions are the last line of defense.”Edwards said he has observed three trends among his organization’s global affiliates. In Zimbabwe, which is already in a period of political flux, teachers unions successfully sued to prevent schools restarting in June. Preexisting conditionsFor Jordan’s independent teachers union, the pandemic has been a bust. ADThis spring, without consultation, the government froze salary raises for public-sector workers, teachers included, as the virus-hit economy contracted.

Source: Washington Post September 12, 2020 16:51 UTC