2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Benin
| Publisher | International Trade Union Confederation |
| Publication Date | 9 June 2016 |
| Cite as | International Trade Union Confederation, 2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Benin, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5799aa796.html [accessed 3 November 2019] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Teachers complain of harassment over pay protest: On 17 March teachers represented by the national federation of education unions, the Fédération des Syndicats de l'Education Nationale (FESEN), went on strike to demand the payment of the 25 per cent index rise granted to other civil servants, rather than the monthly bonus of 10,000 Cfa francs offered by the government. Their demands also included the lifting of threats against teachers and unfair transfers for their part in the protests. During an earlier strike that ended in May 2014, the union had also complained of threats against teachers' union leaders.
Teachers' protest march and strike action repressed: On the morning of 12 February 2015, police and gendarmes in the town of Abomey prevented a march by unions representing primary school teachers from going ahead. The march had been organised by the umbrella group "Forum des travailleurs et des peuples" (the Peoples' and Workers' Forum) to demand, amongst other things, the payment of six years' worth of social security benefits. As soon as the march began, the protesters found themselves surrounded by uniformed police officers and gendarmes, who were there on the orders of the head of the local administration, the "Prefet", Armand Maurice, who claimed their action was illegal. Faced with the intimidating presence of so many uniformed officers, the protestors turned their march into a sit-in.
