keep the education

[2009-12-03] EI remains vigilant to keep education out of trade deals

Trade Ministers from around the world meeting in Geneva ended their discussions on 2 December by reaffirming their political commitment to concluding talks on a new global trade pact in 2010, even as deep differences remain.


In his report of the 7th Ministerial Conference, Chilean Ambassador and chair Andrés Velasco, said Ministers supported a quick end to the troubled Doha Round of trade talks and supported a stocktaking exercise to be held earlier in 2010 to examine ways to kick start the stalled negotiations.

Despite the ambition to seal the deal in 2010, however, most observers believe the differences between countries over agricultural subsidies and industrial tariffs remain far too wide to be bridged in the near future. During the past few days, the U.S. has come under increasing criticism from the European Union and the emerging economies for not being fully engaged in the talks.

While the WTO Secretariat has hailed the conference as a success, critics say trade ministers failed to recognize the link between trade, jobs and the global economic crisis.

“It is absolutely lacking credibility for Ministers speaking in Geneva to ignore the dramatic jobs impact that the crisis is having back home,” said ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder. “This 7th WTO Ministerial Conference is a missed opportunity to tackle issues that are fundamental to the long-term future of the multilateral trading system.”

David Robinson, EI’s trade consultant, added that Ministers failed to learn from the lessons of the current economic crisis that there is a need for active government stimulus and expanded education and other public services to create decent jobs and promote a sustainable recovery.

“Governments have been able to moderate the impact of the crisis on jobs by re-regulating financial services, investing in public infrastructure and utilities, and boosting investments in public services, including quite centrally education and training,” he noted. “WTO Members should have used the conference to pause and to consider how commitments to trade liberalization, whether in financial services or education services or any other public service and utility, might in fact close off the policy space they need to respond to a crisis like the one we’re in now.”

The EI delegation to the conference held several meetings with senior trade officials to assess the state of GATS negotiations and to press for the exclusion of education from the agreement.

Ted Murphy, assistant general secretary with the National Tertiary Education Union in Australia explained that while the backroom discussions amongst ministers were focused mainly on agricultural and industrial tariff issues, EI affiliates need to be vigilante about the potential for the greater inclusion of education services in trade agreements.

“We have to continue to lobby our governments on education services and to monitor developments not only at the WTO, but in the regional and bilateral agreements as well,” he stated. “These agreements are likely to continue to proliferate given the continuing impasse in GATS talks, and it’s in these regional agreements that we are seeing and will likely see more significant commitment being made to open up the education sector with some serious consequences for staff, students and institutions.”

Global Green

[2009-12-16] Wanted: A global green New Deal

Without transformation of the global economic model, we will not be able to solve the world’s most urgent problems, including poverty and climate change, said Pavan Sukhdev, leader of the Green Economy research project within the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).




Sukhdev was speaking as part of a panel on “Economic recovery and green jobs: Win-win for development, climate and labour?” which was hosted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) at the trade unions’ World of Work pavilion in Copenhagen.

Today’s economic model is fundamentally wrong because it rewards massive production and mindless consumption, not sustainable production and intelligent consumption, Sukhdev said. “We reward accumulation of vast private wealth and denigrate investment in public wealth.”

He labelled the prevailing economic model as “one-dimensional capitalism” because it only values physical capital, and called for “three-dimensional capitalism” that would value human and natural capital as well.

“What’s needed now is a global green New Deal,” he said, emphasizing that it’s not an either-or choice between greening the economy and employment. Rather, studies show that the opportunities for job creation are highest in renewables compared to the traditional oil and gas sector or the “spending spree” approach to fiscal stimulus.

Sachiko Yamamoto, ILO regional director or Asia Pacific, outlined the ILO’s Global Jobs Pact, which aims for an employment-centred recovery from the economic crisis. It promotes a shift to a low-carbon, environmentally-friendly economy through investment in employment-intensive sectors and green jobs. The Green Jobs Initiative brings together the ILO, UNEP, ITUC and the IOE (International Organisation of Employers) to work towards these shared goals.

Guy Ryder, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), questioned why the world has not moved more swiftly towards these attractive win-win scenarios of green jobs. “Let’s not pretend this is easier than it is,” he warned. “It is possible to reconcile the climate challenge with decent jobs, but it’s not a convenient truth. There are extremely tough obstacles on the path.”

Ryder pointed to the need to control the unregulated pursuit of private profit to the detriment of the public good, the lack of a global consensus on a framework for just economic transition and the significant financial constraints as some key obstacles.

“Where is the financing going to come from? The coffers are empty. The bankers have emptied the public purse. A great deal has been spent on stimulus, and now we’re hearing talk of exit strategies. But how can we mobilise to achieve the transfer of resources to the developing world needed to deal with the historic debt?” he asked.

Ryder concluded by asserting that just transition to a green economy is not simply an intellectual exercise. It must offer concrete reasons for workers, especially those whose jobs are threatened, to get on board.

Special Program

[2009-12-18] New 6-month special programme for trade unionists at the Global Labour University now open for application

As a Global Union, EI is committed to support the Global Labour University. The Global Labour University is created by the Global Union Research Network (GURN), comprising the ILO's Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV), the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC), the Global Union Federations (GUFs) and the ILO's International Institute for Labour Studies (IILS).


In co-operation with the Hans Boeckler Foundation, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, and various trade union centres and universities, the Global Labour University was created to develop and deliver high-level qualification programmes to strengthen the intellectual and strategic capacity of trade unions and to establish much stronger working relationships between trade unions, the ILO and the research community.

The new 6-month Programme for Trade Unionists on Globalisation is starting in April 2010. It targets trade unionists that might not be able to leave their union for a full masters programme or who do not have the required formal qualifications. The programme comprises three-and-a-half month classes followed by a two-month internship.

The new 6-month programme for trade unionists, ENGAGE, is a short term Diploma Course on Labour Policies and Globalisation which will take place from 1 Apr-20 Sep 2010 in Germany. It is designed to help labour activists and trade unionists to acquire additional knowledge and tools that enable them to take an active part in public debate and the process of policy formulation and implementation.

The programme consists of a 3.5-month academic programme and a 2 month internship. It addresses the request of many trade unions to offer a short-term policy orientated academic programme for trade unionists. The course of study includes five modules focussing on Global Wage Policies, Global Finance, Global Trade, Development Economics, and Participation in Global Governance.

Scholarships are available for:

participants from Brazil, India, Southern Africa: 6 month including internship

for participants from OECD countries: 3.5 month (without internship)



Application deadline has been extended to 25 Jan 2010 and application via e-mail is possible.

Public Reference

Teaching American Culture in Japan



Many Americans and native English speakers leave their
countries to travel abroad to teach English in Japan and
other countries. While most of our teaching work has been
with Japanese students, we have also worked with students
from Europe, Latin America, Africa, and other parts of
Asia. American culture fascinates English students in
Japan; many English students around the world share this
fascination. In this article, we would like to discuss
culture that we teach about in Japan: handshaking and the
changing American family. If you teach English in Japan or
other countries, these two items may be of interest to your
students too.

Handshaking

The American handshake has several basic components. The
first basic component is that the handshake is quick. First
the hand moves up, then down, and then returns to the
original position. The handshake is not a pumping exercise.
Nor is it a hand-holding exercise. The handshake dates back
to extending your hand so the person taking it knows that
you are not holding a weapon. The second is that a
handshake should be firm, but is not a contest to prove
your strength.

Not all Americans have mastered these two concepts. Some
Americans pump hands up and down. Others try to prove their
strength. Most Americans, however, understand the two basic
concepts. Many abroad do not, creating negative impressions
with Americans when they shake hands. We teach our students
that the handshake may be important to many Americans. The
impression they make when shaking hands can influence their
future relationships.

The handshake also has varieties. Some people use their
left hand to cover the other person's hand while shaking
with their right hand. Many people think this shows more
sincerity. The handshake also has some remaining gender
issues. Long ago, men shook hands; women did not. Today,
almost all men and women shake hands.

Reading about shaking hands can be a little dry and lack
clarity. If you are teaching abroad, you may want to try
talking about handshaking and demonstrating. Then, have
your students practice. For teaching ESL in America and
other English speaking countries, this may be too basic for
many students. For students freshly arrived, however, such
explanations and culture tips, along with practice can be
helpful.

The new American family

Not that long ago, many Americans thought of the typical
family as a father, mother, and two children in the
suburbs. Every morning the father would leave for work; the
mother would stay at home with the children. Many families
were like this, but this image was more a stereotype or an
ideal than anything else. We often gaze back through our
rose-tinted glasses, ignoring many Americans. Not all
Americans lived such apparently happy suburban lives. Many
women had to work. Many Americans could not afford to live
in the suburbs. Not all male workers earned enough to
support families. Not all Americans got married. Some
families had single mothers and grandparents raised the
children in some families. Single people, gay people, and
people of color existed, but they were rarely mentioned.

America has changed since then. The vast majority of
Americans realize that there are many kinds of families.
The image of a white family with a stay-at-home mother, a
working father, and two children has faded. Americans now
see families with two gay parents, families with single
mothers or single fathers, interracial families and other
kinds of families. They also see many people living alone.
Many Americans have become more accepting of other ways of
living, and Americans with these other ways of living are
now more open about their life patterns. This family
diversity appears in movies, on television shows, and in
books. Some people may still have problems accepting
everyone, but America has come a long way since the days
when the image of the suburban family reigned supreme.

If you teach English abroad, the reaction of your students
and their interest in these topics will vary given their
background and knowledge. These topics may not be the right
ones for your students. If not, your challenge is to find
the right ones. Almost all English students around the
globe are interested in the culture where English is used.
English is more than a language; students want to learn the
culture too.

Successful Child Portraits: Everyone leaves happy!span>


I thoroughly enjoy shooting kids, especially when a parent
announces that their child won't sit for a good portrait.
When my portrait session is over, the parent and the child
leave happy; the child had fun and the parent has a good
selection of images. Here are a few key learnings that
were gleaned from children portrait photography sessions:

1) Established Prioritized Goals

Talk to the parent(s) about what they are looking for and
if they've had bad photo sessions in the past, learn what
they think went wrong. Prioritize the goals so you have
done the most important shots by the end of the shoot, but
you don't want to shoot in prioritized order.

2) Prepare Fully

Bring the subjects in only when you are ready to shoot.
Give your subject(s) a break and let them wander while you
get ready. Get the technical side set (White balance,
lighting, exposure, sets, props, etc) so you and your
equipment are ready for that optimal shot. You still need
to learn to setup quickly, just don't begin shooting your
younger subjects until you are ready or you'll lose their
attention prematurely.

3) Maintain Control

You've learned what works and what doesn't, so don't let
the parent dictate the sequence of the shoot. Listen to
suggestions, but keep in mind what works and what doesn't.
Often times the correct sequence is counter-intuitive to
your client.

- Start simple and build in complexity from there

- Organize the sets based on the subject's readiness

- Communicate your reasoning behind the sequence with the
parent(s)

4) Warm-up:

Tell the parent(s) to let the child roam on and off the
set; present some props to the child to play with, but let
the child warm-up to you, the setting, and the idea of
being photographed. Get down on their level, sit on the
floor and talk to them. Win them over!

5) Keep Your Subjects Involved

Ask the child to help you setup, ask them to retrieve a
prop, have the child press the shutter for one or two
shots, and show them their pictures on the camera. Feed
your subject genuine praise and encourage them. At the
end of the session, sit down with the child and show them
the images on the computer.

6) Show Them, Don't Just Tell Them

Personally demonstrate the poses that you want from them
and have fun doing it. Don't worry that it might look
silly coming from you; it helps to break the ice and win
over your subjects and parents.

7) Keep their hands occupied

Hands are always a challenge in portrait photography and it
can be difficult to convey the hand positions that you want
from your subject, especially young children. Instead of
instructing the child how to position their hands, it is
easier when you give your younger subjects a prop to hold.
It also looks more natural.

8) Time the Highest Priority Goal

Wait for the right moment for that highest priority goal.
Warm-up first, win-over your subject's confidence, and
recognize the peak time to shoot that most-important goal
before your subject(s) starts losing interest and focus.
This typically happens between 50 to 75% through the
session.

9) Bribery Works

As a parent, routine bribery is not a good idea. However,
as a photographer looking for that difficult portrait, have
something on-hand within the set that will attract the
child (ex. Stuffed toy, cookies, fun props).

10) Patience

Today's cameras can shoot 10+ frames/sec, but burst
shooting is risky and doesn't work with strobes. Wait for
the shot and train yourself to gently press the button just
before the right moment. Repeat two or three times and
choose the best if possible.

11) Kick the Parents Out

After you've gained the child's trust and you've
pre-occupied the child, gently ask the parents to step
out-of-sight while you take some shots. Hands-down, the
parents agree that the best shots came while the parents
were not visible. Kids are looking to please their parents
and keep their guard up. Parents can use their own
point-n-click camera to get those shots, what they want
from you is what they can't get, which occurs when the
parents step away!

Summary

Arrange the session to work up to the most important shots
through continuous communications and good workflow, but be
flexible and dynamically adapt to your subject's attention
span and interests. You're a professional because you've
learned to balance the technical aspects with the creative
and the people skills; successful children portrait
photography can take you to a new level of professionalism.

Public Reference