The Conference of the European Trade Union Committee for Education was held in Budva, Montenegro, on November 26-27. The event was attended by approximately 500 representatives from 123 member organizations from 55 countries in Europe and Asia, including the President of the International Education Union, Mugwena Maluleke, Secretary General, David Edward, the President of the European Trade Union for Education, Larry Flanagan, the Coordinator of the European Region of the International Education Union, Jelmer Evers, trade union leaders, and experts in science and education. Our country was represented at the event by a delegation led by Araz Pashayev, Chairman of the Republican Committee of the Free Trade Union of Education Workers, a member organization of the Azerbaijan Trade Unions Confederation (ATUC).
The event, which was held on” the struggle for the future of public education in social Europe”, discussed issues such as strengthening trade unions, making public education accessible and high-quality for everyone, fair and inclusive education, the impact of digital tools and artificial intelligence in education, as well as the fight against conservative ideologies. At the same time, within the framework of the conference, the last four years of the organization’s activities and auditor reports were reviewed, a strategic program of activities and a budget for 2025-2028 were adopted.
In the speeches on the challenges facing education, issues such as the reduction of Public Schools, the increase of private educational institutions, the reduction of budgets for education and the shortage of professional teachers were highlighted. Elections of the president, vice-president and Executive Committee members of the European Trade Union Committee on education were held at the conference. As a result of a closed vote, the chairman of the Irish Teachers ‘ Union, John Mcgabhann, was elected president of the European Trade Union Committee on education for a four-year term. Leaders of Trade Unions of educators from Denmark, Great Britain, France, Serbia, Poland and Spain were elected to the post of Vice President.
Araz Pashayev, chairman of the ATIAHIRK RK, was also nominated to the Executive Committee and elected a member of the Executive Committee for 2025-2028 by a large majority of votes. Speaking at the first meeting of the Executive Committee, Araz Pashayev thanked the participants for their confidence in him and informed about the work done by ATIAHIRK as the largest member Organization of the Confederation of Trade Unions of Azerbaijan in protecting the rights of education workers. During the visit, Araz Pashayev held one-on-one meetings with the president of the International Education Union, Mugvena Maluleke, the newly elected president of the European Trade Union Committee on Education, John Mcgabhann and director Jelmer Evers, and discussed prospects for cooperation. At the same time, the sides exchanged views on cooperation opportunities with the leaders of Trade Unions of Bulgaria and Spain.