Mauritania: Government is violating teacher\'s rights

Teachers syndicate threats escalation The Mauritanian School Teachers Syndicate has threatened further action if the Ministry of Education transfers the 120 teachers who took part in strikes over salaries. The National Labour Union and the Free Labour Union of Mauritania condemned the ministry’s action in support of the 120 teachers, who took part in earlier strikes. Most of the teachers who are to be transferred are syndicate leaders, both unions said in a joint statement, on Wednesday.
Blaming the Mauritanian Prime Minister, the Minister of Labour and the Education Minister, the two labour unions said: "We will not remain silent towards this dangerous move."  
"The teachers were actually waiting for a rise in their salaries so they can afford to live, instead they saw 120 of their syndicate leaders punished for defending their rights."
"If the Ministry thought that these sanctions will stop the teachers from struggling to gain their rights, they have got it terribly wrong, because these sanctions will only push us to escalate our protests.
"This decision is a violation of the right to strike as stated in chapter 14 of the Mauritanian constitution, and also a violation of the international labour charters signed by the Mauritanian government," a statement issued by the School Teacher's Syndicate added.