Healthy teachers, better schools (free e-mag) [View all]

Back to school – Discover the new HesaMag on teachers

https://www.etui.org/publications/healthy-teachers-better-schools



This special 30th edition – now presented in a fresh, redesigned format – is dedicated to members of one of the most essential professions for our collective future: teachers. In her editorial, the Managing Editor of HesaMag, Dimitra Theodori, reminds us that teachers are not just a human resource to be managed: they are a pillar of democratic societies. Their health matters not only for their own wellbeing but also for that of future generations.

Drawing on field reporting, scientific expertise and trade union insight, the special report paints a troubling picture of a profession under pressure across Europe. It challenges the romanticised idea of teaching as a vocation powered by passion alone, arguing that no job, no matter how meaningful, should come at the cost of one’s health and dignity.

Among the contributors:

· John MacGabhann, President of the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), states that “Teachers’ health is significantly worse than it used to be.” This message is echoed in two powerful articles: one by journalist Maha Ganem, symbolically titled “Don’t Make Waves!”, and another by journalist Wouter van de Klippe, with insights from ETUI Senior Researcher Wouter Zwysen. Both articles explore the worsening teacher shortage across the EU and reveal how educators are reaching breaking point.

· In Greece, Professor Andreas Flouris examines the health consequences of extreme temperatures in poorly insulated schools, which is a growing concern in the context of climate change. Meanwhile, ETUI Senior Researcher Tony Musu reveals that, every day, hundreds of thousands of students and teachers attend schools that are potentially contaminated with asbestos.

· In the Netherlands, journalist Pien Heuts investigates the discrimination and lack of protection faced by LGBTQIA+ teachers, many of whom feel unsafe and unsupported, even in countries known for their progressive values.

· In France, Professor Dominique Cau-Bareille highlights the health risks involved in extending teachers’ careers without addressing their deteriorating working conditions.

· In Spain, journalist Raquel Andrés recounts the emotional and practical hardships faced by teachers in Valencia who have been left to cope with the aftermath of devastating floods amidst an alarming lack of institutional support.

· In Belgium, ergonomist Tim Huygevoort explains how prevention and ergonomic measures can help to reduce musculoskeletal disorders and create more sustainable learning environments.

Brussels and beyond – European policy in focus

Produced in Brussels with the support of researchers from the European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), this 30th edition also highlights key developments in occupational safety and health (OSH) policy at EU level.

It features an exclusive interview with Roxana Mînzatu, European Commission Executive Vice-President for Social Rights and Skills. She outlines her vision for the next five years, asserting that “the EU’s competitiveness objectives depends on the good working conditions for Europeans”.

We also examine the long-overdue revision of two key European directives – on screen use and workplace conditions – that have remained unchanged for decades, despite seismic shifts in the world of work. The upcoming reforms aim to address the increasing risks associated with teleworking, climate-related stress and cognitive overload.

At the same time, the issue warns of renewed deregulation efforts, with Professor Eric Van den Abeele offering a critical perspective on the resurgence of outdated arguments that threaten to weaken existing protections.

Finally, this edition provides a comprehensive overview of the key institutions, agencies and stakeholders that influence OSH policy at European level – essential reading for anyone interested in how social change is initiated (or stalled) in Brussels.



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