Trade unions in Senegal
Encyclopedia
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
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History of Trade unionism in Senegal
Senegal has a long history of Trade Union activism, and was one of the first center's of the African trade union movement, with small unions forming under French colonial ruleFrench West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
in the 1920s. During the 1930s Popular Front
Popular Front (France)
The Popular Front was an alliance of left-wing movements, including the French Communist Party , the French Section of the Workers' International and the Radical and Socialist Party, during the interwar period...
government of France, limited union legalisation was extended to French subjects in West Africa. Senegal was also the home to the Four Communes
Four Communes
The "Four Communes" of Senegal were the four oldest colonial towns in French controlled west Africa. In 1848, the French Second Republic extended the rights of full French citizenship to the inhabitants of Saint-Louis, Dakar, Goree, and Rufisque...
, the only areas of French West Africa to afford residents (Originaires) French citizenship. In the year and a half after limited uninisation rights were granted to colonial subjects and residents of the Four Communes alike (from May to November 1937), 42 professional unions had been created in Senegal. This rapid development included the creation of an all-African trade union confederation for the Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
area in 1938. In 1947, railroad workers went on a several-month strike
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
on the Dakar-Niger Railway
Dakar-Niger Railway
The Dakar–Niger Railway connects Dakar, to Koulikoro, . It serves many cities in Senegal and Mali...
to obtain the same rights as the French railwaymen. The successful strike was celebrated as a turning point in the anti-colonial struggle by Senegalese writer Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène
Ousmane Sembène , often credited in the French style as Sembène Ousmane in articles and reference works, was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer...
in his 1960 novel Les bouts de bois de Dieu.
Contemporary union movement
Senegal's fundamental labor legislation is based on the French overseas labor code of 1952, which provides for collective agreements between employers and trade unions, for the fixing of basic minimum wages by the government on recommendation of advisory committees. The code also provides for paid annual leave and for child allowances. The right to strike is recognized by law, and there are special labor courts. The largest trade union organization is the National Confederation of Senegalese Workers, which since 1970 has been the official union affiliated with the ruling PS. Its major rival is the National Union of Autonomous Labor Unions of Senegal. The industrial workforce is almost totally unionized. Although the relative number of union members is small, they have considerable political power due to their control of vital segments of the economy.The minimum working age is 16, when minors may work in apprenticeships. The prohibition of child labor is strictly enforced in the formal sector, but somewhat less so in the informal and traditional economies. The labor law provides for a workweek of 40 to 48 hours and minimum occupational and safety and health regulations. However, these labor regulations are not effectively enforced outside of the formal economy. The minimum wage was $0.37 in 2001.
Principal Trade Union and Confedrations
- Democratic Union of Senegalese Workers Union Démocratique des Travailleurs de Sénégal (UDTS)
- National Confederation of Senegalese Workers Confédération Nationale des Travailleurs du Sénégal (CNTS)
- Dakar Dem Dikk Workers Democratic UnionDakar Dem Dikk Workers Democratic UnionDakar Dem Dikk Workers Democratic Union is a trade union of employees of Dakar Dem Dikk . The general secretary of UDT-3D is Mamadou Goudiaby, another important leader and negotiator of the union is Christian Salvy. UDT-3D is affiliated to CNTS/FC....
: Dakar Public Transit Workers, Union démocratique des travailleurs de Dakar Dem Dikk, (UDT-3D)- National Confederation of Senegalese Workers - Force of Change Confédération Nationale des Travailleurs du Sénégal - Forces du Changemen (CNTS-FC)
- National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions of Senegal Union Nationale des Syndicats Autonomes de Sénégal (UNSAS)
- Senegales Confederation of Free Unions Confédération des syndicats autonomes du Sénégal (CSA)
- General Confederation of Office and Administrative Workers Confédération générale des syndicats de cadres et du personnel d'encadrement (COGES)
- General Confederation of Senegalese Democratic Workers Confédérations générale des travailleurs démocratiques du Sénégal (CGTDS)
- General Federation of Senegalese Workers - Tendency A Fédération générale des travailleurs du Sénégal - Tendance A (FGTS)
- General Federation of Senegalese Workers - Tendency B Fédération générale des travailleurs du Sénégal - Tendance B (FGTS)
- Union of Free Senegalese Workers Union des travailleurs libres du Sénégal (UTLS)
- Union of Senegalese Democratic Workers Syndicat des travailleurs démocratique du Sénégal (STDS)
Historic unions
- Senegalese Workers UnionUnion Sénégalaise des TravailleursUnion Sénégalaise des Travailleurs was a trade union federation in Senegal formed in 1962. The founders of UST included members of the erstwhile 'orthodox' faction of UGTAN. The UST was however divided. In October 1964, one wing of UST merged into UNTS. The following month, the remainder of UST...
, Union Sénégalaise des Travailleurs 1962-64
See also
- International Trade Union ConfederationInternational Trade Union ConfederationThe International Trade Union Confederation is the world's largest trade union federation. It was formed on November 1, 2006 out of the merger of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and the World Confederation of Labour...
- Politics of SenegalPolitics of SenegalPolitics in Senegal takes place within the framework of a semi-presidential, democratic republic. The President of Senegal is the head of state and the Prime Minister of Senegal the head of government. However, executive power in Senegal is concentrated in the president's hands...
- Economy of SenegalEconomy of SenegalPredominantly rural and with limited natural resources, the Economy of Senegal gains most of its foreign exchange from fish, phosphates, groundnuts, tourism, and services. Its agricultural sector is highly vulnerable to variations in rainfall and changes in world commodity prices...
Further reading
Nicole Bernard-Duquenet, « Les débuts du syndicalisme au Sénégal au temps du Front populaire », Le Mouvement social, n° 101, octobre-décembre 1977, p. 37-59 Ibrahima Camara, Syndicalisme, colonialisme et impérialisme au Sénégal, 1972 Adrien Dioh, Les syndicats de travailleurs au Sénégal, Paris ; Budapest ; Torino, L'Harmattan, 2002, 400 p. ISBN 2-7475-2291-1 Mar Fall, L'État et la question syndicale au Sénégal, Paris, L'Harmattan, 1989, 127 p. Omar Guèye, Le mouvement syndical au Sénégal pendant la deuxième guerre mondiale, Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 1991, 43 p. (Mémoire de DEA) Magatte Lô, Sénégal : syndicalisme et participation responsible, L'Harmattan, 1987 F. Mulot, « Syndicalisme et politique au Sénégal », Revue française d'études politiques africaines, 158, 1979, p. 63-90 Birame Ndour, Éléments d'études sur le mouvement ouvrier dans les chemins de fer du Sénégal (1882–1938), Paris, Université de Paris VII, 1981, 67 p. (Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies) E. H. I. Niang, Le rôle du syndicalisme dans le développement économique : le cas du Sénégal, Université Laval, 1987 (M.A.) Luis C. Nunes, La Participation du syndicalisme à la construction nationale en Afrique : examples du Sénégal, Mali et Côte d'Ivoire, Genève, Ed. Médecine et Hygiène, 1972 Jean-Pierre Phan, Syndicalisme et mouvement de libération nationale au Sénégal jusqu'à l'indépendance, 1976 Christian Roche, Le Sénégal à la conquête de son indépendance, 1939-1960. Chronique de la vie politique et syndicale, de l'Empire français à l'Indépendance, Paris, Karthala, 2001, 286 p. Ousmane Kéba Sane, Le mouvement syndical enseignant au Sénégal : Du syndicat unique de l'enseignement laïc (S.U.E.L) au syndicat des enseignants du Sénégal (S.E.S), Dakar, Université Cheikh Anta Diop, 2002, 143 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise) Djibril Alassane Sarr, L’UNTS : histoire d'une centrale syndicale (1962–1971), Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1986, 106 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise) Ahmat Hadji Sidimi, Le mouvement ouvrier dans le chemin de fer 1917-1925. Genèse, évolution, Dakar, Université de Dakar, 1983, 126 p. + 4 p. (Mémoire de Maîtrise) Iba Der ThiamIba Der Thiam
Iba Der Thiam is a Senegalese writer, historian, and politician, currently serving as the First Vice-President of the National Assembly of Senegal....
, L’évolution politique et syndicale du Sénégal colonial de 1840 à 1936, Paris, Université de Paris I, 1983, 9 vol., 5 179 p. (Thèse d'État) Adrien Dioh, Les syndicats de travailleurs au Sénégal, Paris ; Budapest ; Torino : L'Harmattan, 2002, 400 p. ISBN 2-7475-2291-1
External links
Confédération Nationale des Travailleurs du Sénégal (CNTS) Solidarité Ouvrière: Senegal. Senegalese news stories related to trade union militancy.- Cases Before the Committee on Freedom of Association: Senegal: International Labour Organisation of the United NationsUnited NationsThe United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
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