CNV

Vienna (FCG) - 56 Christian Trade Unionists from 14 countries met at the 21st Conference for Trace Union Cooperation in Europe (KGZE) in Trnava (Slovakia), to discuss the future education. The Federal President of the FCG, ÖGB-Vice-President Norbert Schnedl welcomed, on Friday 11 October, Mr. Fritz Neugebauer, Mr. Werner Amon, as well as a number of other national and international experts on education.

In his greetings Mr. Norbert Schnedl stressed that "particularly in times of crisis education for employees is of the greatest importance. Particularly now education is more important than ever. Education is the most effective protection against unemployment, therefore we must make efforts so that enterprises facilitate further education for their employees, apprentices receive qualitative training and that students get the best education possible.”

In the context of the 21. KGZE the "Holistic Education " was regarded from many different perspectives. The education triangle "Family - Society - School" was a central emphasis of the conference.

This was also stressed by Mr. Fritz Neugebauer in his greetings. In his opinion "educational work by unions stands in direct connection to the success and failure of the work by unions. Only when we join here, we can be successful."

Beside the educational work by unions there were also many other aspects of the education touched upon.

Mr. Fritz Neugebauer thanked vice-president Mr. Norbert Schnedl and the FCG for the fact that they again and again offer this platform to meet. "Apart from the basic task of trade unions in the social dialogue to treat and negotiate Workers’ Questions and lay the foundations for practical policy, beside the international contacts, the principal item of the educational work by unions is particularly part of the daily task of trade unions. This must be inspired by our basic values of Personality, Subsidiarity and Solidarity", as stated by Mr. Fritz Neugebauer.

Education is for Mr. Raf Chanterie, president of EZA, the corner-stone of our society. In his opinion it is "the key to integration and to the maintenance of jobs. Particularly we as Trade Unionist must exert for this."

The topic "Politico-educational challenges in 21. century" was further discussed by Mr. Amon in his paper. In his opinion Subsidiarity is very important in the range of education, but at the same time one should keepsake a European education canon, in order to create comparability.

Mr. Amon stressed the fact that today the schools have to master a many tasks and carry a high responsibility: "It is the task of politics to let the educational facilities work in peace. The school should not become a constant test-object, as it seems at present".

Further Mr. Amon critically argued the international comparative studies and pleaded for the stabilization of the school partnership as a condition for understanding and productive educational work.

The 21st KGZE took place from 10 to 13 September 2009. This year 56 Christian trade unionist from 14 countries of Europe met in Trnava.

FCG Press-release, Anneliese Rothleitner Reinisch
http://www.ots.at/presseaussendung/OTS_20090911_OTS0146