Federation of the National Education
Encyclopedia
The Federation of the National Education (Fédération de l'Education nationale or FEN) was a French federation of teaching unions
.
It succeeded the General Federation of Teaching (Fédération générale de l'enseignement) founded in 1929 and affiliated to the General Confederation of Labour
(Confédération générale du travail or CGT). After World War II
the CGT split, and the reformist wing created Workers' Force
. The teaching federation left the CGT in order to preserve its unity, and took the name FEN.
The FEN was dominated by the group called "Unity, independence and democracy" close to the Socialists. The minority groups were "Unity and action", influenced by the Communists, and "Emancipated school" close to the far left
.
The FEN was nicknamed the "fortress of teachers" and advocated secular education
. Its power and mobilization capacity were dreaded by the government, but it imploded due to its political divisions. At the beginning of the 1990s, faced with the growth of "Unity and action", the Socialist majority proposed that the union should affiliate to a non-CGT national union confederation. The unions dominated by "Unity and action" were ejected and founded the Fédération Syndicale Unitaire
(FSU, United Trade Union Federation).
The FEN and other reformist unions of civil servants created the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions
(Union nationale des syndicats autonomes or UNSA). In 2000, the FEN became UNSA Education. However, UNSA Education today represents a minority in the teaching world and has largely been surpassed by the FSU.
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
.
It succeeded the General Federation of Teaching (Fédération générale de l'enseignement) founded in 1929 and affiliated to the General Confederation of Labour
Confédération générale du travail
The General Confederation of Labour is a national trade union center, the first of the five major French confederations of trade unions.It is the largest in terms of votes , and second largest in terms of membership numbers.Its membership decreased to 650,000 members in 1995-96 The General...
(Confédération générale du travail or CGT). After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the CGT split, and the reformist wing created Workers' Force
Force Ouvrière
The General Confederation of Labor - Workers' Force is one of the five major union federations in France. In terms of following, it is the third behind the CGT and the CFDT....
. The teaching federation left the CGT in order to preserve its unity, and took the name FEN.
The FEN was dominated by the group called "Unity, independence and democracy" close to the Socialists. The minority groups were "Unity and action", influenced by the Communists, and "Emancipated school" close to the far left
Far left
Far left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
.
The FEN was nicknamed the "fortress of teachers" and advocated secular education
Secular education
Secular education is the system of public education in countries with a secular government or separation between religion and state.An example of a highly secular educational system would be the French public educational system, going as far as to ban conspicuous religious symbols in schools.In...
. Its power and mobilization capacity were dreaded by the government, but it imploded due to its political divisions. At the beginning of the 1990s, faced with the growth of "Unity and action", the Socialist majority proposed that the union should affiliate to a non-CGT national union confederation. The unions dominated by "Unity and action" were ejected and founded the Fédération Syndicale Unitaire
Fédération Syndicale Unitaire
The Fédération syndicale unitaire is the main trade union in the education sector in France and the largest trade union in the public sector. It has 162,000 members, of whom 88% are teachers....
(FSU, United Trade Union Federation).
The FEN and other reformist unions of civil servants created the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions
Union nationale des syndicats autonomes
The National Union of Autonomous Unions is one of the French confederations of trade unions, but they do not have the présomption irréfragable de représentativité of the General Confederation of Labour , French Democratic Confederation of Labour , Workers' Force , French Confederation of Christian...
(Union nationale des syndicats autonomes or UNSA). In 2000, the FEN became UNSA Education. However, UNSA Education today represents a minority in the teaching world and has largely been surpassed by the FSU.