Executive Summary

The primary objective of this report is to construct an initial model of ‘union renewal’ or ‘union transformation’ to be considered for further development by selected EI affiliates in partnership with Education International’s Asia-Pacific Office (EIAP). In reaching this objective, the report examines the current state of some selected teachers’ unions in the Asia-Pacific, their operating environment and context, their understanding of the importance and process of ‘transformation’ and/or ‘renewal’, and the extent to which (a) there is appetite for it, and (b) if it is already taking place. Among the aspects considered are these teachers’ unions’ efforts to:

− reach grassroots members − develop new strategies to organise and mobilise the membership − prepare grassroots/workplace representatives for leadership − build a narrative around common issue(s) − communicate that narrative for broader advocacy and outreach − foster partnerships through effective communication

The report embeds a discussion of ten unions from eight countries in three sub-regions within the Asia-Pacific (South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Pacific) in the broader context of union renewal efforts in the education sector globally. This discussion draws on a desk review of the scholarly literature on the renewal efforts of education unions and of union policies, and data collected in interviews conducted with (a) union leaders in Fiji, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, and with (b) branch officials and (c) union members in Fiji, India, Indonesia and the Philippines in October–November 2020. Extended case studies of four unions – two in Fiji and one each in India and the Philippines zev– are appended to the report.

Based on this assessment, we conclude that, while the different teachers’ unions examined in this study have different levels of experience when it comes to union renewal, some common challenges remain. One of these is the challenge of developing a clear and consistent narrative about union identity and purpose that is responsive to members. A second is to find ways to harness that narrative to guide and prioritise union work in various domains, while identifying ways to move beyond welfare provision, case-based support for individual workers and ad hoc programming. A third is to develop more productive ways to engage with often hostile governments while maintaining organisational independence and integrity.

Guided by our analysis of the current situation and our proposed model for education renewal, we make the following recommendations. In addition to continuing to strive to be more inclusive and effective as organisations, we suggest:

1. That teachers’ unions take the opportunity to reflect on, and clearly articulate, their purpose and identity as 21st century organisations.

This task should be undertaken in ways that provide members with an opportunity, and encouragement, to participate in a structured process of reflection. This discussion could be facilitated at the school level and through social media, and should focus on:

a. What members perceive to be the union’s identity and purpose at the current time and what would they like it to be; but also b. What specific policy issues – in terms of professional, industrial, and social justice issues – they would like their union to focus more closely on. 2. Having gone through this exercise, teachers’ unions could then:

a. Formulate a clear narrative about their identity and purpose; and b. Rank the specific policy issues that members have identified in terms of their potential impact on social policy and teachers’ industrial and professional well-being, the feasibility of effecting change, and what success would look like. 3. Taking care to undertake further consultation with members, officials could then select one policy issue that is both important and able to be addressed. The results of this process can be used to develop a targeted and time-bound campaign with clearly identified target outcomes, either at a whole-of-union level or in a particularly active branch or branches. Depending on the issue, this campaign could involve a diverse range of tactics including engagement with government and the community, but also member- and school-focused initiatives. 4. Participating unions use this campaign as a laboratory for identifying aspects of union structure and process that need honing (for example, channels for member engagement, embedded capacity and leadership development, and resourcing) but also new ways to engage with external interlocutors. 5. Participating unions apply these insights across the dayto-day work of the union, and repeat the process, either to ramp up the gains made in regard to the issue targeted in the first campaign, or to identify another target issue.

A key mechanism for the achievement of these goals is through the development of various EIAP-supported virtual communities involving key agents of change among participating unions. These communities could provide a forum for sharing participants’ experiences and generating a sense of shared

purpose and community. They could also be used to engage with experienced campaigners from teachers’ unions in other countries; help structure dataseeking exercises, as participating unions reach out to their membership; and provide a sounding board on selection of issues, campaign strategies, etc, as well as a brains trust for problem-solving during the course of the campaign. These groups could be formed around shared campaign domains after individual unions have had an opportunity to determine their internal priorities. It would be important to restrict the number of participants in each to 4–6 individuals (perhaps drawn from 2–3 unions) to ensure that they function effectively as a locus of exchange.