BRIEFING/Informe: Education Support and Cultural Workers

BRIEFING/Informe:
Education Support and Cultural Workers Network
Red de Personales Auxiliares de la Educación y la Cultura
April 20, 2015
IAMRECON
Mexico City
Attendance: The meeting was very well attended with approximately 35 participants, 21 of
whom signed the registration list. The participants represented the following countries:
Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru,
and the United States.
Agenda: the agenda was adopted (see below) and the meeting was opened by Agustín
Rodriguez Fuentes, General Secretary of STUNAM (Mexico) and President of CONTUA.
Presentations:
1. Marcelo Di Stefano, Secretary of International Affairs for ABUPA (Argentina), presented an
historical narrative of the work to establish the “Network.” The presentation included a detailed
report of the founding meeting of the Network in Buenos Aires, Argentina in November of 2014.
2. Ruby Newbold, President of the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees and
Vice-President of the American Federation of Teachers (USA), presented on the importance of
recognizing educational support workers and the need to promote the importance of these
workers both within PSI and around the world. Ruby noted the pressing need to develop an
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effective communication system both witin the Network and throughout PSI, and that such a
communications system could play a vital role in growing the Network and sharing experiences
across affiliates and regions. The presentation served to frame a discussion on the challenges
each affiliate faces in calling attention to the plight of the educational support workers and the
need to achieve both union recognition and a broader socio-political recognition. This
discussion confirmed a deeply held consensus that the Network’s principal focus and priority is
the work to call attention to the importance of educational support workers and gain positive
recognition.
3. Ruby Newbold (AFT) and Martiza Espinales from the Nicaraguan Federation of University
Workers chaired an open discussion on affiliate priorities and challenges, and how they might
serve as a framework for developing the Network. This discussion included interventions
confirming that concerns and challenges such as: recognition, labor rights issues, poor working
conditions and precarious contractual relations, low pay and benefits, and privatization.
Moreover, the discussion also focused on the immediate need to develop a Network
communications strategy capable of informing the PSI community of the Network’s purpose and
activities, as well as a broader communications campaign to inform the global community, allies
and partners of the formation of the Network and its ongoing activities.
4. Danny Bertossa, PSI Global Governance and Policy Officer, presented a well-received report
on the Trade in Services Agreement (TISA) negotiations and its possible impacts on the
education sector. The presentation was very information and led to a discussion on the need to
develop more research focused on trade agreements and trade in educational services,
including transportion, food and health services related to public educational institutions as well
as the notable increase in privately delivered educational services.
Plan of Action: PSI staff presented the Plan of Action (see below) drafted at the founding
meeting of the Network in Buenos Aires and faciliated a discussion of its relationship to the PSI
Inter-American Regional Plan of Action. This discussion identified several top priorities for
immediate work and action, including:
1. The immediate need to develop a strong internal communications process/structure to
communicate within the Network and throughout the PSI community, especially as it relates to
strengthing the Network and its growth among PSI affiliates.
2. The need to develop communications tools, including audio-visual presentations, to fully
inform the global community, the international labor movement, global civil society, and PSI
allies (including Education International) and partners of the establishment and work of the
Network.
3. The need to develop a strong framework for coordinating direct solidarity actions to
support the ongoing recognition, collective bargaining and broader labor rights struggles of PSI
affiliate-members of the Network. Several countries were highlighted as “targets” for Network
solidarity action, including Colombia, Guatemala, Mexico, and Peru.
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4. The need to develop a Network strategy to combat privatization and the related issues of
precarious work and contracting in the education sector.
All of these priorities were framed by the conviction that the Network represent a critical force
in support of free, universal education at all levels and the achievement of the highest quality
public education through greater public investments. Also, it was recognized that many of the
Network’s priorities overlap with PSI global priorities, so attention should be directed at
coordinating Network actions in concert with PSI work in such areas as Gender Equality,
Migration, Pensions, and Trade and Privatization.
Meeting Conclusion: Franciso “Paco” Díaz, General Secretary of SUTUdeG (Guadalajara,
Mexico), presented his personal retrospective on the evolution of efforts to establish CONTUA
and later the Network by noting the increasing collaborations between PSI affiliates throughout
the Americas. He noted the importance of the Network within a broader struggle for social
justice in which public education plays a central role. He concluded the meeting with a call to
action to continue our collaborations and seek ways to work together to build a strong regional
and global network. Marcelo Di Stefano (Argentina) also provided an inspiring intervention
about the historic nature of the work leading up to the founding of the Network and the need
to continue to express solidarity as the cornerstone of the important work in building the
Network. Lastly, Alberto (SUTNAM) expressed his delight in hosting and supporting the meeting,
welcoming everyone to appreciate the unique struggles of Mexico and to work together to build
the Network so that we can make the difference in Mexico and throughout the region.
Agenda
Time/Hora
Topic/Tema
April 20th
9:00-9:30
Welcome and Introductions
9:30-10:45
10:45-11:00
11-11:30
Bienvenidos y introducciones
Report Back from the Buenos
Aires Founding Meeting
Informe del Encuentro
Fundador de Buenos Aires
Coffee Break
Café
Recognition and Promotion of
the Educational Support Worker
Reconocimiento y Promoción
del Trabajador
Facilitator
Presidente da Mesa
Agustín Rodriguez
Fuentes, General
Secretary of STUNAM
and Presidente of
CONTUA
Marcelo Di Stefano,
Secretary of
International Affairs,
APUBA
Ruby Newbold,
President of the Detroit
Association of
Educational Office
Employees and VicePresident of AFT
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11:30-12:30
12:30
13:00-14:00
Prioritization of Issues
Labor Rights
Recognition of our
contributions
Partime-i-zation
Bullying/Workplace violence
Prioridades de Assuntos y
Derechos Laborales
Lunch
Almuerzo
“The Impact of TISA on the
Privatization of Educational
Services”
“Impacto de TISA y la
Privatización de la Educación”
14-14:30hrs
Plan of Action
Plan de Acción
14:30-15:30hrs
Open Discussion
Discusión Abierta
15:30hrs
Essential Points for the
IAMRECON
16:00hrs
Ruby Newbold
Marcelo Di Stefano
Daniel Bertossa, PSI
Global Governance and
Policy Officer
and
Mark Langevin,
PSI Subregional
Secretary for North
America
José Olvera, STUNAM
and
Mark Langevin, PSI
Francisco “Paco” Díaz
Secretario General
SUTUdeG
Francisco “Paco” Díaz &
Ruby Newbold
Puntos Importantes para la
IAMRECON
Conclusion
Terminar la Reunión
Education Support and Cultural Workers Network
Red de Personales Auxiliares de la Educación y la Cultura
Work Plan/Plan de Acción
2015-2016
Work Plan
Plan de Acción
Introduction:
a. PSI’s Education Support and Cultural Workers
Network (ESCW) was founded at the Buenos Aires
meeting during November, 2014 in accord with
Resolution #33 approved at the PSI World Congress
in Durban, December 2012 as well as related
decisions approved by the global PSI Executive
Board.
Introducción:
a. La Red de Trabajadores Auxiliares de la Educación de
la ISP - RTAE - quedó constituida en la reunión realizada
en Buenos Aires durante el mes de noviembre de 2014,
en cumplimiento con la Resolución N° 33 del Congreso
Mundial de Durban 2012, y de las decisiones
complementarias adoptadas por el Consejo Ejecutivo
Mundial de la organización.
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b. The founding meeting approved the document
entitled, “Buenos Aires Declaration, that establishes
the principales, mission and functions of the
network and its institutional relationship with PSI.
c. Moreover, the ESCW approved the composition of
a “coordinating committee” in order to develop
plans for actions and activities to carry out the
charter and agreements reached in Buenos Aires as
well as establish organizational priorities and union
development work to advance the mission of the
network.
e. Given the discussions and agreements of the
Buenos Aires meeting, the following serves to
memorialize points of agreement on network
functions and the ESCW network work plan for
2015-2016.
b. La reunión constitutiva aprobó el documento
denominado “Carta de Buenos Aires”, el cual establece
el ámbito de actuación de la Red, su relación estatutaria
con la ISP, y los principales objetivos que persigue la
RTAE.
c. Además, la RTAE aprobó la conformación de un
“Comité de Coordinación de la Red” a los efectos de
desarrollar las políticas que permitan cumplir con los
acuerdos alcanzados, y se establecieron una serie de
prioridades organizativas y de trabajo sindical para
poder poner en marcha la Red.
e. En función de los debates mantenidos, a continuación
se detallan los acuerdos alcanzados y las tareas
propuestas, las cuales constituyen en los hechos el Plan
de Trabajo 2015-2016 de la RTAE.
1. Composition of the ESCW network
Coordinating Committee
Agreement:
the founding meeting in Buenos Aires agreed
that the PSI Secretary General would nominate
members to compose the coordinating
committee before the Global Executive Board
meeting scheduled at the end of May 2015,
including member-designates from the
American Federation of Teachers (USA) and
APUBA (Argentina).
Task: The PSI SG should propose members
representing the distinct regions, including the
Inter-American, Africa, Asia-Pacific, and Europe
to meet in parallel with the EB meeting in May
of 2015.
1.
Conformación del Comité de Coordinación de
la Red:
Acuerdo: En Buenos Aires se acordó tener la
reunión constitutiva de este Comité a mediados de
2015 proponiéndole a la Secretaria General la
organización de la misma el día previo a la reunión
del Comité Ejecutivo Mundial prevista para fines de
mayo de 2015, incluyendo miembros de AFT (EEUU)
y APUBA (Argentina).
Tarea: En tal sentido, la Secretaría General de ISP
debería proponer la representación provisoria de
las distintas regiones América (ya tiene acordada la
representación), África, Asia Pacífico y Europa y
convocar a la reunión.
2. Regional Recognition and Information
Campaigns
Agreement: It was agreed that the ESCW
develop a campaign to identify all PSI affiliates
with educational support and cultural workers
and sensitize these affiliates to the importance
of participating in the network.
Task: Incorporate ESCW meetings/workshops
into the regional conferences, IAMRECON and
IAFRECON, with the participation of the most
active affiliates-those participating in the
coordinating committee. Present a briefing of
the results of the founding meeting in Buenos
Aires at the IAMRECON and the PSI-EB meeting
in May of 2015.
2. Campaña de sensibilización e información en las
distintas regiones:
Acuerdo: Se acordó generar una campaña para
identificar a las afiliadas a la ISP que nuclean
trabajadores/as auxiliares de la educación y
sensibilizar acerca de la importancia de la RTAE en
todas las regiones.
Tarea: Incorporar talleres sobre la RTAE en las dos
reuniones regionales previstas para 2015 IAMRECON y IAFRECON – con participación de las
afiliadas más activas que integran el Comité de
Coordinación de la Red. Presentar un informe de los
resultados de la Reunión de Buenos Aires y del
IAMRECON en el Comité Ejecutivo Mundial de fines
de mayo de 2015.
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3. Political Priorities of the ESCW Network
Agreement: The network was founded with the
following expressed priorities: 1) the struggle
against privatization and outsourcing; 2) the
defense of labor rights; 3) the defense of decent
work and wages while combatting precarious
working conditions; 4) the protection of social
security and pensions; 5) alignment with the PSI
global gender equality, migrant rights, tax
justice, fair trade with respect to union rights
and the fight against corruption.
Task: The network coordinating committee,
working with the SG and the EB, should discuss
and organize the network functions and tasks
that align with the global priorities of PSI.
Towards this end, the network should distribute
tasks to develop diagnostic analyses and
campaigns with associated materials. This work
should reflect several of priorities and
objectives for the period, 2015-2016.
3. Prioridades políticas de la RTAE:
Acuerdo: Se establecieron como prioridades de la
Red las siguientes: a) Lucha contra las
privatizaciones y tercerizaciones; b) defensa de los
derechos sindicales, la organización sindical, la
negociación colectiva y el derecho a la huelga; c)
Defensa de las condiciones de trabajo y salarios
dignos combatiendo la precarización laboral; e)
Defensa de la protección, seguridad social y
pensiones dignas; f) Adhesión plena a las políticas
globales de la ISP en materia de igualdad de género,
derechos de los trabajadores/as migrantes, justicia
fiscal, comercio justo con respeto a los derechos
laborales y lucha contra la corrupción.
Tarea: El Comité deberá organizar las tareas entre
sus miembros para determinar cuál es el aporte
que la RTAE realiza en cada uno de estos planos. En
tal sentido, se distribuirán responsabilidades entre
los miembros para realizar documentos de
diagnóstico y campañas de la Red en las distintas
materias. En esta primera etapa se priorizarán
algunos de los objetivos para el periodo 2015 –
2016.
4. Coordinating International Solidarity
Agreement: The participating affiliates agreed
as a fundamental priority the basic principle
and need to elaborate and coordinate solidarity
among all affiliates. This priority establishes the
need to coordinate direct actions to support
those affiliates struggling for basic labor rights
and recognition and suffering from unfavorable
political and judicial conditions.
Tasks: The network and its coordinating
committee should determine which affiliates
should be the focus of direct solidarity actions
during the period, 2015-2016, as well as
emergency action alerts as required. Solidarity
actions should be developed and coordinating,
including letters, protests, and global solidarity
campaigns that actively engage the responsable
or allied organizations and governing
authorities.
4. Ejercicio de la solidaridad activa:
Acuerdo: Las afiliadas definieron como una de sus
prioridades de acción, y motivo principal de su
constitución como espacio sindical, la solidaridad
activa entre ellas focalizada a la acción concreta de
apoyo para con los sindicatos que sufren peores
condiciones políticas y jurídicas para poder
desarrollar su tarea.
Tarea: La coordinación debe resolver cuales son los
sindicatos que requieren de mayor apoyo para el
período 2015-2016, más allá de las emergencias
que surjan, y diseñar junto a ellos campañas
mundiales de apoyo y actos de solidaridad activa
(cartas de solidaridad, apoyo y participación en
protestas locales, protestas y campañas solidarias
globales, involucramiento en el problema de las
organizaciones sociales y los gobiernos que puedan
apoyar la lucha.
5. The Incorporation and Engagement of the
Network in PSI’s Global Agenda with the
Institutions of Global Governance
Agreement: The ESCW network will represent
PSI in those international organizations that
treat those issues related to education and
culture, including UNESCO and its regional and
5. Incorporación de la RTAE en la agenda global de
la ISP ante los organismos internacionales y
multilaterales:
Acuerdo: La Red representará a la ISP ante los
organismos internacionales que atienden las
cuestiones relativas a la educación como la UNESCO
y sus distintos organismos regionales y
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local subsidiary organizations. The network will
also work, in coordination with PSI, other
organizations that represent workers in this
sector as well as international and regional
labor union confederations and other civil
society organizations related to this sector.
Towards this end, the network will work to
initiate and advance its political agenda within
the OECD’s Education and Workforce
Development Committee as well as within the
International Financial Institutions and other
regional cooperation organizations.
Tasks: The network coordinating committee, in
concert with PSI’s General Secretary, will define
the most important priorities in this area for
2015-2016 and develop strategy and lines of
action among participating network affiliates.
The coordinating committee should develop
appropropriate contacts within such
organizations to advance the network and
deepen its representation in this sector.
subregionales, articulará desde la ISP con otras
organizaciones que representan trabajadores del
sector de la educación y con las políticas en la
materia que desarrollan las centrales sindicales
internacionales y regionales, así como con las
organizaciones de la sociedad civil que participan
del sector. Asimismo, impulsará la generación de
una agenda política en el marco del Comité sobre
Educación y Formación de la OCDE, los espacios
educativos de la IFIS, y los organismos regionales de
Cooperación Internacional.
Tarea: El Comité, en conjunto con la Secretaría
General de la ISP deberá definir cuáles son los
escenarios prioritarios donde la RTAE deberá
participar en el período 2015-2016, asignar
responsabilidades entre las afiliadas, y fijar la
agenda y la estrategia. Se deberán generar
contactos para garantizar la participación de la Red
y darle continuidad a la representación.
6. Public and Political Communications and
Visibility
Agreement: The participating network
affiliates recognize the importance of
developing methods and activities to
advance the public and political visibility of
PSI and the ESCW network.
Task: The network Coordinating Committee
should establish a framework for the
coordination of a communications strategy,
in concert with PSI, that includes
communication contacts for each
participating affiliate and in such a way as to
incorporate and exchange specific
information through the PSI website, social
media, and information exchanges and
campaigns.
6. Visibilización pública y política de
comunicación:
Acuerdo: Las afiliadas entienden que es
prioritario para el éxito de sus tareas
desarrollar plataformas de comunicación y
difusión articuladas con las políticas propias de
la ISP en la materia.
Tarea: El Comité deberá establecer una
coordinación de comunicación en articulación
con la ISP y los responsables de comunicación
de los sindicatos que lideran la Red de tal modo
que se pueda incorporar información específica
en las páginas de ISP, Redes Sociales, organizar
campañas y compartir información.
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