Consolidation of the trade union sections asks for personal responsibility and collegial actions
From the meeting of Leading Council of FSASH

In Durres was held the meeting of the Leading Council of the Trade Union federation of Education and Science of Albania, FSASH, with participation of members of the Council, leaders and other representatives of trade union councils of districts, which analyzed the work done, achievements reached and problems faced during this year and determined the main directions of work for the period to come.
The Chairman of the Federation, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, mentioned in his speech the measures that had been undertaken for the consolidation of trade union sections and the reorganization of some of them where there had been noticed weaknesses and shortcomings, by underlining also the contribute and help of Netherlands Trade Unions FNV/AOb, through activities of the Project that is being implemented by both Albanian education trade unions, FSASH and SPASH.
He pointed out the work done recently in Gramshi, Berati, Miredita, Tirana and Elbasani districts, where trade union sections are reorganized and are elected or nominated capable and motivated leaders who are working together with their colleagues, activists of FSASH, aiming the enlargement of membership, identification of problems and engagement to solve them, in cooperation with the leading bodies of the Federation in central level. This work is continuing also in Kruja and Lushnja, aiming the reorganization of trade union sections of these districts within December. It is also working parallel with Malesi e Madhe and Peqini districts.
Improvement of work with sections was seen strongly related to the increase of income of the Federation, through implementation of the statutory duty of gathering membership fee as a prerequisite for its normal functioning and the organisation of trade union activities, especially for training of newly elected local leaders and the implementation of the Collective Agreement.
In the meeting was mentioned the good work of some sections as Vlora, Tirana City, Skrapar, Tepelena, Mallakastra, Kucova, Bulqiza, Permet, Librazhd, Dibra and at the same time were reprimanded the leaders  of some sections as Mati, Gjirokastra, Korca, Kukes, Shkodra etc, to whom were requested to be engaged concretely, in cooperation with other activists of the respective districts, for enlarging the membership, through the respective lists and submitting them to the Education Directorates along with the entire documentation, according to the Collective Agreement.
In close relation to this issue, was underlined the good work done by the presidencies of both trade unions, which have organised meetings and consultations, not only in central level, with representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science, but also in districts level, with Educational Directorates where, except from the problems of teachers protection and effective cooperation regarding the reform in education system and qualitative education for all, are also discussed problems related to avoiding pupils drop out from the school and elimination of child labour, as well as effective collaboration for using check off system in collecting membership fee of both education trade unions.
In these circumstances, was also pointed out direct responsibility of sections’ leaders for the progress of this work, through preparing all the needed documentation, according to the defined requests and rules.
Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi informed the Council about the concrete measures that the Leadership of the Federation is undertaking for meeting some requests of members and for the implementation of some articles of the Collective Agreement related to the effective use of the Special Fund, by aiming the motivation of distinguished teachers in teaching and in trade union activities, the payment by the employers of expenses for yearly compulsory medical visit, as well as for the implementation of rules and criteria of teachers nomination and transferring, especially of those graduated at pedagogical secondary schools etc, by avoiding discriminatory and arbitrary actions.
The Council also discussed the problem of new elections for the leading bodies of all levels of FSASH, including the Congress of the Federation accepting the proposal of the Presidency, according to which the program of the elections campaign will be discussed and approved in the meeting of the annual analysis of FSASH by the beginning of February 2009.

Strengthening structures in all levels-the main duty of SPASH
From the meeting of National Council of SPASH

Actual situation regarding organisative structures functioning and financial situation, were the main issues discussed in the meeting of National Council of the Independent Trade Union of Albanian Education, SPASH, held recently.
Mr. Bajram Kruja, the Chairman of SPASH, in his opening speech, introduced the agenda of the meeing and gave the floor to the Vice Chairman, Mr. Defrim Spahiu, who held the report, on behalf of the Presidency of organisation.
He made a summary of SPASH activities during 2008, mentioning:
Meeing of SPASH National Council, held in February, where was discussed about the Collective Agreement and providing more services for the members and trade union activists.
He mentioned that some teachers and members of the trade unions ask “What is the trade union doing for us” and explained that especially through the Articles 7/7, 13/4, 13/10, 13/12, of Collective Agreement, FSASH and SPASH provide some important services for ther members, especially regarding teaching hours, participation in the trade union activities, monitoring classes and so on. Of course there are more to eb done and both education trade unions, also supported by the FNV/AOb project have undertaken concrete actions to provide more services for the members. Some of the aims and activities of SPASH and FSASH are also published in the Magazine “Tribuna Sindikale”, April 2008.
In June the Nationa Council of SPASH discussed about “The role of women tecahers in the trade unions”. Based on the report held by Mrs. Bukuroshe Shabani, there were discussions about the activities organised recently, also in the framework of FNV/AOb project implementation, as the inquiry on women participation in the trade union, wher participated some 65 women, filling in 65 questionnaires, participating in the Round Table about the findings of the inquiry and conslusions and the action plan, also published in “Tribuina Sindikale” in May this year.
In its meeting organised in September, the National Council of SPASH discussed about the statute, the leading bodies and the decision making organs, as the most important preconditions for a stroong and democratic trade union. Mr. Bajram Kruja insisted on the items of the Statute to be known and implelemnted by each SPASH ledare and member. It is the case next year when the SPASH Congress will be held to make ammendaments in the actual Statute, based on the experience gained and the need for impeovements.
An importantn moment in the SPASH activities was the meeting with SBASHK Kosovo representatives in Durres, where discussions aboutn the effective collaboration in the future were accompained with entertainment activities, also published in the magazine “Tribuna Sindikale” in September.
Partnership and democracy in education system have also been important issues for SPASH during 2008, especially through the tripartite Conference held in the premises of education trade unions center, where took part vice minister of education and vice minister of labour and social affairs, directors of the educational directorates in the prefectures, as well as local trade union leaders from both SPASH and FSASH in prefectures level.
Meetings are also organised following this Conference in districts level, where concrete situation is analysed and concrete tasks are determined.
An important activity of SPASH has been concrete engagement of leaders and teachers aiming child labour prevention and elimination. A Conference was organised on 25-26 April in Tirana, aiming the coordination of actions against child labour, involving not only education trade unions, but also other branch trade unions, especially those from construction and building sector, commerce, health care, industry, especially textile, garment and shoes industry and so on.
Important engagement of SPASH structures in all levels have been membership increase and membership fee collection. Some section, as in Durres, Mat, Puke, Korce, Lushnje, Tirane etc, have good results and their example should be followed by all the others, during this year and especially during next year when SPASH will also hold its Congress.

FSASH activities

During September this year, the Presidency of FSASH have organised some important activities, aiming to improve the situation in some trade union sections and reorganise trade union sections in some other districts.

Meeting with local trade union leaders in Shkodra District

More than 20 local trade union leaders, mainly from schools of the communes and villages, took part in this meeting. The head of the trade union section of this region, Mr. Isa Reka, made a presentation of the work done, results achieved and problems faced by school’s trade union sections and councils in this region.
The most essential part of his presentation was: the work was done and is being done well, some results have been achieved, but the situation can be considered still unsatisfying and a lot of work must be done by each of the leaders of school’s trade union councils, and also by trade union sections in regional level. He mentioned also some problems, raised with concern by representatives of trade unions at schools and teachers themselves, which had to do especially with the level of salaries, vocational qualifications, teachers transfers, payments for working experience and for compulsory health control etc.
The participants that took the floor, Ruzhdi Kola, Petrit Çela, Kujtim Shima, Laze Kodra, Vat Demaj, Kole Çardaku etc, except for presenting the situation on trade unions functioning in respective schools, discussed specific problems that had been raised by teachers, also asking more support by trade union sections in regional level and the Federation itself in central level
The chairman of Trade Union Council of the Confederation of Shkodra region, Mr. Fatmir Smajli, pointed out the need for a coordinated work, mainly in some schools of the city and in some rural areas of the region. He promised a more fruitful engagement of the trade union council of the region, and also of the education trade union section itself.
By taking the floor in this meeting, the chairman of the  Trade Union Federation of Education and Science, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, appreciated the work done, but considered it as a good beginning of a general reorganization of this section, by asking for a more effective engagement by the section and the trade union councils at schools themselves.
Furthermore he made the respective explanations in relation to salaries increase and the request of FSASH for further improvements, the role of trade unions for avoiding constant transfers of teachers and mainly for reporting transfers made for political believes, or other interests, improvement of the teachers’ transportation system, the attitude of trade unions in relation to the Code of Ethics for teachers, their efforts for making possible payment of the compulsory medical control from the state for all teachers members of FSASH and SPASH, their effective participation in the process of reforms in the education system, the engagement of trade unions on decreasing the number of pupils that drop out from the school and on elimination of child labour, etc.
After the constructive discussions and the respective conclusions, in this meeting were appointed concrete duties for trade union councils and for the regional trade union section.

Meeting with the FSASH local trade union leaders of Tirana city schools

Leaders of trade union councils of more than 35 schools of  Tirana city were gathered in the eve of the beginning of the new academic year, to discuss in relation to the duties of trade unions about the progress of the education process and protection of socio-economical interest of teachers.
The head of trade union section, Mrs. Fatbardha Keço presented the main directions of work of the section and trade unions at schools, pointing out and explaining to the teachers the necessity of becoming members of trade unions, as well as the role of trade union councils about problems that teachers are facing, especially those related to labour relations at school.
In his speech,  the Chairman of FSASH, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, appreciated the work done by the trade union section of Tirana city and trade union councils in the schools, explained some of the main engagements of the Presidency and Leading Council of the Federation, mainly on some problems and requests that teachers, members of education trade unions, raised and asked for a more effective work and a better cooperation of trade union councils with the administration of schools, as preconditions for the progress of the education process, further strengthening of trade unions and better protection of teachers, members of FSASH.

Reorganization of FSASH trade union section in Gramshi District

In Gramshi town, was gathered the representatives of FSASH district section. The Head of this Section, Mr. Pozajet Qose analysed the work done and results achieved, also identifying the weakness of the leadership and members of this section, reflected also in the trade union councils in the schools.
Participants in this meeting pointed out that there are all the possibilities that the trade union section in district level and the trade union councils in schools level to function based on the statutory rules, to take the responsibility in front of their members and to realize their social-economical protection.
Some concerns related to the implementation of the Collective Agreement by Gramshi Educational Directorate, were raised during the discussions in the meeting.
Being aware of the weaknesses in the leading work of this section, Mr. Pozajet Qose resigned and unanimously instead of him, was elected Head of Gramshi trade union section, Mr. Albert Cace.
The Chairman of FSASH, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, took part and spoke in the meeting.
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Reorganization of FSASH trade union section of Berati District

After the preparative work of a group of teachers who support FSASH, being assisted also by the representative of KSSH for the region of Berat, Mr. Hajdar Kanani, some days ago, were gathered in Berat the unionists of FSASH for this region, where was reorganized the trade union section of FSASH.
Participants present in the meeting informed about the preparative work they had done, problems they encounter, asking for the support of the trade union.
After the explanations done by the Chairman of FSASH, Mr. Xhafer Dobrushi, especially in relation to the necessity of being organised in trade unions, role of the trade union section in region level and the Federation in national level, the engagement of teachers themselves in the respective structures and some of the recent solutions of both education trade unions through the collective agreement and other forms of cooperation with the Ministry of Education and other organs, were held the elections for the leadership of the trade union section of the region, chairman of which was elected the teacher Adriatik Hasanbasha. In the Presidency were also elected Eriketa Zeqa, Irfan Myftari, Besmir Hori and Pajtim Qato.
Right after that, in an immediate meeting, the Presidency approved the main priorities of its work for the next days and weeks, aiming an increase the membership in the schools present in the meeting, extension in other schools and consolidation of trade union section in regional level.

SPASH activities

Meeting of the National Council of SPASH

On the 13th September this year was held the meeting of the National Council of SPASH, where took part leaders of trade union sections, members of the National Council.
By thanking for the participation in the activity of SBASHK of Kosovo and FSASH, organised on 12.09.2008, Mr.Bajram Kruja gave the floor to two experienced leaders in the trade union forums, Mr. Aleks Dushi for the problems of the Statute and Mr. Defrim Spahiu for the problems of the Collective Agreement.
Mr. Aleks, in his speech said that the Statute for a trade union organisation is like the Constitution for a state. Often we are not attentive when we take part in workshops, in seminars, in working groups, even in congresses that are decision making bodies for the statutes and also for necessary ammendaments.
Following, he mentioned that, an organisation can function properly, according to the articles of the Statute, it is indispensable in the Statute to be defined clearly the activities and decision making bodies, executive and verifying organs, such as the Congress, the National Council, the Executive Comitee, the President, the Comission of Conflicts Solution, the Comission of Economic and Financial Control and so on.
All these issues are to be discussed and approved in the Congress, in a democratic way, in otrder to funcion democratically. Whereas the services that are offered to the members are represented in the Collective Agreement, both in first and second level.
Speaking about that, Mr. Defrim Spahiu, mentioned the main articles, especially those related to the effective partnership, also pointing out that some of them are not implemented properly, both in the first and second level.
By appealing to know better the items of the Collective Agreement of the first level, he also requested that every trade union member in everywhere in Albania to be part of the negotiations process, expressing the SPASH leadres willingbness to receive their suggestions and recommandations for next Collective Agreement.
At the end, Mr. Bajram Kruja, said to the participants that during this year and also during 2009 will be organised seminars dealing with issues related to the Statute and the Collective Agreement, which make possible the democratic relationships between members and trade union leaders and ensure effective social partnerity both in the first and second level.

Riorganisation of SPA trade union section in Durres

After a preparative work done during the last period in Durresi region schools, recently the trade union section of this region was reorganised, also appointing Mr. Alfred Doraci Head of the Section.

In the first meeting that was organised with a group of unionists of this section, were determined the duties for continuing organisative work with trade union councils in schools, aiming that in an appropriate period, according to the Statute of SPASH, the leading bodies of this region should gather, in order to formalize the respective structures.