Recent Event Highlights: Another meeting with PM by students, Students end strike, Gov't agreed to pay 2 months of back pay on student grants, Teachers to return to work, Gov't Agrees to reinstate Scholarships, Gov't begins paying some salaries, and 38 more...
Created by wrenneb on Mar 14, 2011
Last updated: 03/15/11 at 12:06 PM
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PM agreed to demands to keep grants and to fix buses and cover part of financial aid. Students accepted agreement and said they would not strike again.
After government agreed to look into 10 month back pay demand and to pay 2 months. 10 months would be too much for government at the time.
Hoping to end the year+ long strike.
also civil servants, if transition government will pay Jan and Feb salaries
National Conference named Nicephore Soglo as prime minister and head of a transition government, stripping prez of most of his powers as they moved toward elections for January 1991. The next day the new PM called on striking workers to return to work and promised to pay them for January and Feb 1990, but still agreed with the austerity measures put in place through the agreement with IMF.
Or at least ordered to be released by judiciary
for students at universities including unpaid arrears
Demonstrators/ strikers demanded release of him from prison before any negotiations would be started, but government would not agree. had been arrested a week earlier. He was a strike leader and worked in the Finance Ministry.
Paid Dec. 1989 salaries, and had been paying military salaries previously.
Negotiations were to begin on January 18 (Thursday) between Trade Union Leaders and government. Union leaders were demanding the release of prisoners who had been arrested during earlier demonstrations. However, these negotiations were unsuccessful.
Failed and many arrested as strike continued
At least one person was chosen to replace a mayor in one of Benin's towns, however he was arrested for this action. Exact date not known
Gov't calls for end to strike and says democracy cannot be instated during the disorder.
Conference allowed opposition political parties and 17 had registered. One source said organizers called for a mutiny by army against the government. National Union of Teachers of Higher Institutions (led univ professors strike). Leader said two demands: salaries and political freedom
Leader of Benin National Union of Post and Telecommunications Workers was arrested by gov't for inciting workers to strike. Released on January 8, 1990. Leaflets calling for general strike began to circulate in Cotonou
Government had paid 2 months of overdue salaries (6 months were due). Teachers and government workers were still not satisfied.
National Executive Council announces that civil servants who continue to stay away from work would not be paid salaries effective January 2, 1990. They also claimed that the arrears were being paid off, although it is not clear if this was actually true. Claimed that workers needed to return to work in order for economic recovery to be successful. Fuck that. How stupid can they be.
Calls for finance workers to return to work so that payments could be made because Benin's "partners in development" had agreed to give aid to pay the salaries for Fall 1989, but made no mention of the previous 4 months which still had not been paid. Journalists strike to end today.
Radio and TV employees and journalists began a 2-day strike demanding payment from the government. Also, sent a petition with demands signed by about half of the workers on Dec 15 to minister of Information.
Thousands more demonstrated in Porto Novo. Riot Police blocked demonstrators on the main road, but there was no known violence as demonstrators just shouted while the police continued to hold up riot shields and sticks
40,000 people in Cotonou and others in Porto Novo and other areas throughout benin demonstrated and called for President Kerekou to step down. Demonstrators had banners against Kerekou and the IMF and called on the army to support them. Demonstrators also burned the cover on a statue of Lenin in Lenin square where they were met by security forces. The army fired tear gas at the crowd and some demonstrators lynched two policemen. Pres. Kerekou went to the city and called for an end to demonstrations. He banned assemblies and announced that security forces would intervene. As he marched through the streets, demonstrators threw stones and supporters cheered. Calm returned on the next day, but strikes still continued. One source said these demonstrations were organized by the communist party of Dahomey (which is underground).
Teachers resumed strike for back pay as declared in Cotonou. They were joined by students and government workers in that city as well and in Porto Novo. The government also announced that it was giving up its Marxist-Leninist Ideology in favor of a market economy in hopes that this would end their economic troubles. They also separated the Party from the state for further reforms. They announced reforms to follow in next year and creation of PM post.
State continued to negotiate with Donors (like IMF and World Bank) to try to prevent the possible strike by teachers on Dec 8, which may turn into general strike including civil servants, etc. Gov't still unable to pay agreed salaries.
1000 students in Cotonou marched wearing their school uniforms and carrying banners calling for the right to education after the gov't announced cancellation of a second school year. Security forces didn't do anything, although interior minister warned that security forces would attempt to disperse demonstrators. A few hundred people in cities throughout Benin demonstrated on Dec 2 (Saturday)
Prez Kerekou calls for patience in salary payments. Still hadn't paid fall 1988 or fall 1989 salaries as agreed to teachers and civil servants. Also announced the need for political reforms to fit with IMF agreement. Called for free political expression, but still very vague.
Teachers ended strike but set Dec 8 as deadline for backpay of salaries to be made or they would strike again. Professors at university of Benin to return Oct 30. Univ students also agreed to return to classes.
Government released last 2 student prisoners from strikes after high school teachers sent letter to gov't. This was last part of agreement for teachers to begin work again on Oct. 2
for 3 months if teachers resumed work on Oct 2
Because they needed economic aid from western countries who had called for these releases. This meant that the main opposition party members and leaders from Communist Party of Dahomey were released.
Teachers met to negotiate with Prez Kerekou. Handed him a letter. Demanding same demands and repatriation of money and identification of torturers and killers. Kerekou did not agree, but said he would address issues one at a time.
National Executive Council announced it would close schools and invalidate school year. Therefore it would suspend payment for striking teachers in June and not resume payment until October for teachers that returned to work.
Workers in public health, planning, statistics and economic analysis, labor and social affairs and justice join teachers. Majority of 22,000 teachers still on strike.
Join the teachers strike in demand for back pay and end to allowance cuts announced in agreement with IMF
negotiations have failed between the government of benin and teachers of all levels who have been on strike since april 6. the teachers are demanding the immediate payment of four months' worth of back salaries, the abrogation of a 50-percent reduction in salary, the unconditional liberation of all teachers and students arrested for striking and the reinte-gration of 401 teachers fired in march for striking
Gov't agrees to pay civil servants and teachers for April and to continue paying them regularly after that. They said they would pay the salaries for Jan-Mar when they had the funds. Teachers sent petitions demanding salaries and stopping the 50 percent cut in allowances.
Teachers in Porto Novo, Abomey, and Mono province struck until they received previous 3 months arrears. Government. May have started earlier on April 6. Classes began again on April 13 some places (?). Gov't had ordered payments to civil servants for Dec 1988.
HIgh School Students threw stones and chairs at paratroopers and clashed with security forces in Porto Novo
high school students demonstrated outside of schools, supported by parents. "clash" with security forces in Porto Novo.
Students continued strike despite ultimatum to close school. Lecturers asked that that school year be invalidated. Students also wanted to be sure that grants would continue.
Prez of Univ of Cotonou threatened to close the school if striking students didn't return by Apr. 3. Students had remained on strike. About 3,000 of nearly 9,000 students relied on financial assistance from gov't.
Against gov't decision to cut allowances for government and military workers. Not clear if civil servants had been given back pay yet.
Government announces that Nigeria had agreed to give enough aid to pay the back salaries of the civil servants and teachers and grants for students.
Government dismissed all striking civil servants and began seeking young, unemployed university graduates to replace them. Said they would publish list of fired workers a week later. Workers had been given until Jan 31 to return.
National Executive Council announced continuation of security enforcement. Urged return to work and said that continued stayaways would result in dismissal. Porto Novo calm after riots on 23rd.
Defense ministry announced that security forces would fire without warning on gatherings on roads because of the unrest. Students in Porto Novo had clashed with security forces, but students in Cotonou were still peaceful. 300 additional soldiers sent to Porto Novo. (rioting on 23rd, sacked buildings, and burned portraits of Kerekou). Gov't ordered banks to begin paying civil servants for October and November, beginning with military.
Date not sure
Interior ministers calls on citizens to defeat the demonstrators
Students announce they will continue the strike indefinitely until their demands were met.
National Executive council ordered students, teachers, and civil servants to return to work on radio. They said those who didn't return to work would be forfeiting their jobs.
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