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.