On the occasion of the celebration of May 1, the Senegalese Union Centrals presented their notebooks of grievances to the President of the Republic, accompanied by members of the government, during a ceremony at the Palais de la République. This traditional event has enabled the secretaries general of the various trade union organizations to present their direct claims to the Head of State, highlighting the major concerns of workers.
According to information collected from our South Daily colleagues, discussions mainly focused on loss of jobs, exacerbated by a restructuring policy established by the new regime. Elimane Diouf, secretary general of the Confederation of Autonomous Unions of Senegal (CSA), expressed his concerns in the face of multiple layoffs and delays as well as the arrears of wages noted in various sectors. He notably demanded from the government the immediate payment of 12 months of wage arrears for the employees of the Red Cross, the integration of decision-makers into the public service and the establishment of a structured dialogue.
Union representatives, such as Cheikh Diop from the National Confederation of Senegal Workers of Change (CNTS-FC), Ivette Keita of the National Union of Autonomous Unions of Senegal (UNSAS) and Mody Guiro of the National Confederation of Workers in Senegal (CNTS), have unanimously pleaded in favor of the protection of employment in Senegal and respect for commitments. Mody Guiro stressed that this May 1 is part of an uncertain global economic context, marked by attempts to question social achievements and by massive layoffs in various public sectors.
He also specified, during this meeting relayed by Sud Quotidien, that some employers omit to initiate a prior dialogue before making decisions which have serious repercussions on human activity. What is more, non-compliance with agreements in key sectors such as education, health and the territorial economy further complicates the situation. These concerns have led union organizations to alert the authorities to the threats that hover over the world of work.
