TRADE UNION FEDERATION OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF ALBANIA, BRIEF HISTORY OF FOUNDATION AND ACTIVITIES

The Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania (TUFESA) was founded in April 26, 1991. It was created as an expression of teachers, pedagogues, and scientists’ will to meet the demands of political pluralism and market economy.
The transformation of social system, the overthrow of dictatorship and democratic processes were naturally associated by a regrouping of the interests and requirements of various strata of the society, particularly of the intellectuals. The individual is re-positioning himself in the society and the human beings are re-establishing their role, figure and demands.

Since early 1991, all Albanian employees including those engaged in education and science system, abandoned the former organization of Professional Trade Union and started to seek new forms of trade union organization shaped according to Western models. Hence, during the period January - March 1991, the first trade union councils were set up in the elementary and secondary schools, as well as at Tirana University, Agricultural University and institutes of Academy of Sciences.

The great interest of the employees to adhere to a trade union, their vivacity, seriousness and sense of responsibility in defining the objectives that each trade union was aiming at, makes evidence of the fact that teachers, pedagogues and scientists, so the largest and most qualitative part of country’s intelligence, was feeling the need of a new trade union organization form, different from the previous one. The essence of the new organization form was the creation of a lively, realistic, self -relying trade union independent from both government and political parties.
Trade Union Councils representatives who were elected during the elections of January-March 1991, organized the First National Conference in April 26, 1991, at the Resting House in Durres.

Long discussions took place at the Conference about the principles related to the building up  a trade union of the future. The trade union independence was greatly highlighted in this debate. Even though there were many pros and cons, finally it was concluded that the issue related to independence should be considered as the main point of the Statute.
The discussion and definition of objectives related to social-economic protection of the members under the conditions of market economy attracted the interest and attention of all participants. Hereunder are listed both immediate and long- term objectives: establishment of five working day week at schools, approval of teacher’s status, continuous increase and harmonization of wages, return back to work of teachers who had been expelled because of political and trade union views, etc.
The Conference unanimously decided that teachers, pedagogues and science employees trade union which was being set up, should be called: Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania, which also approved the respective Status. The first meeting of the National Council of TUFESA elected as Chairman of the Federation, Doctor of Sciences, Xhafer Dobrushi.

TUFESA MAIN ACTIVITIES DURING LAST 16 YEARS

During the 16 years of its existence, TUFESA has performed a series of activities to protect both interests and social-economic demands of all teachers, pedagogues, scientists whom it is representing.

The first trade union movement, within the frame of TUFESA, was organized in June 1992. It aimed   increasing wages of all teacher categories.  Some trade union sections as for example those of Kukes, Puka, Mati, Mirdita and Skrapari were totally involved in a ten-days strike, which resulted in examination blockage. This was the first trade union collusion with the employer which obliged the Ministry of Education to make some concessions (give ground).

During 1992-1995, TUFESA made several efforts to resist the political pressure exercised over them by the government of the time, aiming the liquidation of the Federation. About 100 elected trade unionists among the most educated, distinguished, skillful and experienced teachers were fired or transferred to remote rural and difficult areas, only because they were leaders of local or central structures of TUFESA. There were several mothers, with two or three children, who were purposely transferred to remote villages. As a result, most of them skipped their jobs.

Working hard, FSASH overcome all the difficulties of that period of time, protecting successfully its members and local leaders from the persecution and discrimination.
After 1992-1996, which is considered as the most difficult period in the history of TUFESA, the Federation began to become stronger, expand better on the ground and organize a lot of activities. In addition, more argued objectives were laid down and member protection was improved.

The trade union movement of January 1999, will be remembered as a very distinguished page in TUFESA activities. The January strike, which involved the majority of pre-graduate system teachers, had very clear objectives, was freed from politics, and was very well organized.  It started as a premonitory one- hour strike, was followed by an one-day to a weekly strike and resulted to an  endless strike; it lasted six days and paralyzed the teaching process in all secondary and high schools all over the country.
Under these conditions, both the Ministry of Education and Science and Government started negotiations with TUFESA leaders, which concluded with the well - known Agreement of January 28, 1999. The agreement aimed at the solution of the main TUFESA demands, including a wage increase of 20-35 %  and improvement of their structure.
Many powerful trade union movements have been organized under TUFESA guide both in November 2000 and September 2001.

TUFESA has organized three National Conferences aiming at trade union movement strengthening in the education system. In addition, they have also elaborated more realistic objectives, creating in this way the conditions for a more qualitative work related to the strengthening of all Federation constituent structures, starting from the trade union council on the ground.
The first TUFESA Congress, held in May 2000, synthesized the ten years achievements, developed new objectives and made the necessary improvements in TUFESA Statute. The Congress decided to change the name of Federation into: Trade Union Federation of Education and Science of Albania. It sanctions the establishment of sections for various professions and categories in education and science, aiming at the strengthening and expansion of their identity and status.

A new development and consolidation phase of TUFESA is considered its engagement to the vital problems related to the reformation and modernisation of education system in Albania, as well as social and economic protection of their members and teachers in general, problems which were discussed in the Second Congress of TUFESA, held in Tirana, on 5-6 December 2002.

This Congress elaborated and defined concrete aims and objectives for a better engagement of all the structures of TUFESA against child labour, as well as for the improvement of the work with young teachers and women teachers in order to increase their role in the trade union movement.

Since then, especially after the Third Congress of TUFESA, held in Tirana on
5-6 November 2004, the activity of the Federation for the prevention and elimination of child labour, for avoiding dropping our from the school or returning TO the school of those dropped out, as well as the special work with young teachers and women in the trade union are extended, having good results and creating and reach experience.

A special attention is payed by TUFESA to the trade union and vocational training of its members. Hundreds of trade unionists, leaders and activists of all levels, young tecahers and women, have attended workshops and round tables, where the trade union training never is considered apart from vocational training. A special assistance have given to this direction, the General Union of Education Personal in Netherlands, AOB, by providing not only financial support, but also technical assistance and useful experience. Education International, EI, ILO-IPEC and other homologue trade unions have also supported TUFESA for trade union and vocational training.

         
TUFESA RELATIONSHIP WITH DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN
TRADE UNIONS.

Actually, TUFESA and the Independent Trade Union of Education, SPASH, are the two education trade unions operating in Albania. TUFESA is the biggest and the most powerful trade union, which operates in education and science sectors. It has more than 22.000 members (out of about 40.000 persons employed in education and science sector); 10.000 are regular payers of membership fees. TUFESA is capable to organize and develop independent trade union movements.

Since 1997 until now, TUFESA has signed three Cooperation Agreements with Independent Trade Union of Albanian Education, ITUAE.
Both of them are the only social partner with the Ministry of education and Science and Albanian Government. They they have discussed and signed together four Collective Agreements, including the last one, in power until 31 december 2009. They have organised joint activities and trade union actions, aiming to engage more and more teachers in protecting their rights and interests.
TUFESA has friendly relations with Education, Science and Culture Trade Union of Kosova, and has signed two cooperation agreements with it.

TUFESA is one of the founding members of the Confederation of the Trade Unions of Albania, KSSH. It is making efforts to set confederative community on statute democratic basis. Within the frame of KSSH it tries to preserve and firmly develop its identity and independence. In addition, it acknowledges and respects the independence and identity of other profession federations. TUFESA has and is still playing a very active role in developing both strategies and policies for all activities of KSSH.

Since 1991, TUFESA has established cooperation relationship with neighboring countries and Central, Eastern and Western European trade unions.
Actually, TUFESA has established very fruitful and institutionalized relations with education trade unions of Italy, Greece, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia, Hungary, Turkey, Holland, Malta, Austria, France, England, USA, Russia etc.
TUFESA is a member of Education International, EI, and Pan European Structure and plays an active role in all their activities.

RELATIONS WITH EMPLOYER, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE, AND GOVERNMENT

TUFESA relations with the employer, Ministry of Education and Science, MES, Ministry of Local Government, MLG, Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and Government, are considered normal among social partners.
The Agreement of January 28, 1999 signed with the Government for the solution or putting on the way of solution of some of TUFESA essential demands, constitutes the highest peak of these relations. The agreement is still made on the basis of collective agreement which is signed with MES and MLG.
The relations with MES are institutionalized. They are based both on Collective Agreement, and in joint engagement for the solution of problems included in the Collective Agreement or other specific agreements.

The Collective Agreement in power, signed on the 4th of July 2006, which is valid up to 31 december 2009, contains provisions and guarantees for economic and social protection of teachers, particularly with regard to employment, wages, job conditions, trade union freedom etc.

TUFESA is very active in the activities organized by the Ministry of Social Affairs, especially in the framework of the National Council of Labour. It has given a very useful contribution to the legislation development with regard to labour relations and development of social dialogue.

TUFESA ACHIEVMENTS AND OBJECTIVES

During 16 years of activity, TUFESA has paid great attention to processing, argumentation, adequate formulation and social-economic interest protection of education and science system employees. Observation and careful examination of its performance, bears evidence to the fact that urgent demands made at any time or included in collective agreeent, are in full compliance, and support long term interests of both social strata and overall Albanian society.

The logical continuace of this strategy are also the aims and objectives for the year 2007, the most improtant of which are:

First, reinforcement and further empowering of trade union structures, including trade union councils in the schools and trade union sections in the districts.
The basis of this consolidation is the membership, aiming more and more active members, as well as the right conception from all the teachers about the improtance of being member of a trade union, the role they have to play in the framework of the trade union activities and the responsibilities for protecting their own social and economic interests.

This attitude doesn’t accept any more the old practicies, when trade union councils in the schools and trade union sections in the districts, even the Federation itself, were satisfied with registered members, which created big number of members, but didn’t compose a real strong trade union, in the crucial moments of trade union actions. This has been proved directly during the trade union actions that TUFESA has organised during its existence.

Second, the presidency and the Leading Council of TUFESA, in the framework of consolidation of all levels of trade union structures, are focussed more and more to the consolidation of the young Tecahers and Women Commissions, aiming to involve and engage these categories dealing with problems that concern them, giving to them the place they deserve also in all levels of leading bodies, in order to bring to the union a new inspiration and dinamism, increasing the argumentative power of the trade unions and the objectivity of their demands and improving the social dialgue.

Third, one of the priorities of TUFESA, based also in the experience gained, remains better engagement of all its structures in concrete actions to withdrow children from the work, to bring those who have dropped out, back to the school, giving to them a second chance for the integreation to the school and to the community. Education International, EI, The General Union of education Personnel in Netherlands, AOb, the Dutch Confederation of Trade Unions, FNV, ILO-IPEC, as well as some other institutions acting in Albania have supported directly both education Albanian education trade unions in this commitment.

Fourth, TUFES will continue to make all its efforts for wage increase and the improvement of remuneration system in eduaction, making possible that the Ministry of Education and Science elaborates and send to for the approval to the Government all the needed legal framework regarding the salaries according to the experince in working, increasing by 5 per cent of the actual system of  teachers’ qualification, Status of Teachers, motivation of teachers by additional remuneartion when they work overtime or in difficult circumstances and so on.

Fifth, TUFESA will study and practice, starting from this year providing better services and profits only for its members. Except for the actual remuneration by two salaries, given to the teachers who are about to retire, are under the examination the possibilities of other remunerartion fro teachers who will be members of trade unions.

All of these objectives determined by TUFESA, also in collaboration with ITUAE, are not static, given once for ever. They change in every development phase of  the country, the society and the education trade unions themselves.