"Active Civil Society – A Prerequisite for Successful Enlargement of the European Union!"

"Social Dialogue – Sharing Best Practices and Experiences for Our Success!"

After Georgia gained independence, the process of forming an active civil society has been gradual. Despite challenges, including a difficult history with trade unions, we have made significant progress over the past 30 years. As you might agree, trade unions play a pivotal role in this process.

Following independence, each Georgian government had its own approach to trade unions. This evolution can be divided into three stages:

Soviet Legacy: The trade union continued to function within the Soviet model.
2010-2012 Repression: During this period, up to 100,000 members left our organization in a single day due to repression.
Post-2013 Transformation: We emerged stronger, aiming to create a union rooted in modern, Western values. Our primary focus was on establishing democratic governance, maximizing member involvement, and ensuring a voluntary membership process.
Today, we proudly represent more than 40,000 members—60% of the teaching staff in Georgia. We are committed to quality over quantity, focusing on independence and trust. Our goal has always been to foster a united, active civil society.

Building Partnerships and Progress

Since 2013, we have been reinvigorating our relationship with the Ministry of Education, choosing social dialogue as our method of cooperation. This led to the signing of a sectoral agreement in 2017, the first of its kind in Georgia. Today, we have signed over 2,000 collective agreements with various educational institutions.

Social partnership has allowed us to present reasoned initiatives, conduct collective negotiations, and participate actively in decision-making. Through these efforts, 20 legislative amendments have been implemented to protect the rights of teachers.

Social Protection and Justice

The International Labour Organization's Kostas Papadakis emphasizes the importance of appropriate legislation for social protection and justice. In Georgia, there is political will to improve labor conditions and involve the teachers' trade union in the legislative process.

Raising Awareness and Strengthening Capacity

We continually work to raise civic awareness among teachers, organizing seminars, conferences, and other activities. Since 2010, we have been affiliated with the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), which has enabled us to strengthen ties with the global education community.

With support from the European Union Delegation in Georgia, we launched the project “ESFTUG for Advancing a Culture of Human Rights” in 2013. This initiative helped establish a qualitatively new trade union, emphasizing the importance of human rights and democratic principles.

We also collaborate with the Danish Upper Secondary School Teachers' Union to offer professional support and enhance civic awareness. This partnership has helped around 1,000 teachers improve their qualifications and career prospects.

For over 20 years, we have worked closely with the American Federation of Teachers on projects such as "Teachers for Human Rights Culture" and "Citizens' Voices". These international projects have popularized our trade union among teachers and contributed to the adoption of Western standards.

In conclusion, I can say with full confidence that our organization, alongside our country, sees its future in European integration.

Maia Kobakhidze
President, ESFTUG