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In Mauritania, the SNES (National Union of Secondary Education) is working with determination to support teachers and build union membership. With the support of the SNES–FSU in France, the union’s grassroots strategy has gained momentum over the years, and particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“In 2020, we began recruiting recent graduates from the École Normale Supérieure (ENS). Once on the ground, our coordination networks were already in place, facilitating their integration,” explains SNES General Secretary Amadou Tidjane Ba.

Well-structured organising, rooted in regional realities

The SNES now covers all of the country’s 363 secondary schools. The wide union presence was achieved through a simple and effective approach: splitting the 15 regions between the members of the Executive Committee based on their local ties. “Everyone goes to their home region. And when we identify a specific problem, my deputies and I go wherever needed,” explains Ba.

Regional coordination networks play a key role. In some areas, such as Inchiri or Tiris Zemmour, teams meet at the end of each month, when teachers come into town to collect their wages: “They use this opportunity to get together, hold a meeting and recruit two or three colleagues.”

The union also organises a webinar at the start of every month with all 12 regional coordinators, to ensure the regular sharing of information and grievances.

Carefully coordinated outreach

Every school visit involves cumbersome administrative procedures, such as a mission order approved by the governor. “Without this order, some schools refuse access,” says the General Secretary.

Despite such obstacles, trade unionists visit schools each month. They meet with teachers either at their schools or their homes: “When I went to Rosso, only 15 out of the 40 teachers were there. To see the others, we had to go to their homes.”

These visits also provide an opportunity to distribute essential documents: union statutes, internal regulations, and campaign materials.

Trade unionism: commitment, mobility, and solidarity

The SNES continues to recruit new members at every opportunity. But the lack of a strong trade union culture makes it difficult to build member loyalty. “Some colleagues only turn to the union when there’s a problem. And when everything’s going well, they forget it,” says Ba.

The issue of membership fees is a major challenge, given the poor wages and competition from politically-funded trade unions. “Many trade unions are backed by political parties. We are not. We have to fund ourselves, but people don’t like to hear that.”

Yet this financial independence is vital. Thanks to membership fees, the regional coordination teams pay for the rental of premises, paper, and other expenses. When funds are short, the national office covers the shortfall.

“With the meagre wages we earn, this is what enables us to fight,” says Ba.

Crucial international support to keep trade union action alive

Given the financial and political challenges faced, the support of France’s SNES-FSU is crucial. “Thanks to the advice from Education International and the funding from the SNES-FSU, we’re able to keep going. We’re managing to achieve quite a lot: getting out into the field, building the loyalty of our members,” acknowledges Ba.

It is this support that allows the union to remain independent, carrying out vital groundwork to defend teachers and promote public education.

As Ba insists: “We need to be autonomous. We need to be able to fund ourselves. It’s the only way to survive.”