72-hour G7 strike: Sels/Authentique dissociates itself from this mood swing

The Free Teachers’ Union of Senegal / Authentic (Sels/A) stands out from the 3-day strike (October 21, 22 and 23) decreed by the G7 (inter-union of education in Senegal). It calls on all of its members to stay in classes and continue their lessons.

Two reasons were mentioned by the general secretary of the said union, Pape Mbaye Marie Sylla, during a press briefing held today at their headquarters in Rufisque, to justify their position of neutrality. Initially, the members of Sels/A considered the chosen context inappropriate.

“The timing is particularly bad. We are just entering the second week of the school year. In several establishments, classes have not yet actually started, due to a lack of teachers, desks or the failure to set up temporary shelters,” he underlines.

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According to SG Sylla, with some schools in Dakar and Kaolack facing flooding, declaring a 72-hour strike at this precise moment remains detrimental. The second reason raised is the requirement for union coherence.

“This protocol ignores the essential demands of teachers, confining them to vague perspectives and without a precise timetable,” believes Sg Sylla. For Sels/A, signing this protocol was tantamount to betraying the teachers after 4 months of bitter struggles.

“Having not approved his signature, he cannot, for the sake of logic and consistency, close the classrooms today to demand respect for a text that he fought,” he asserts.

The union asks the government to open a sincere and inclusive dialogue on the following demands: the revaluation of the retirement pension of decision-making teachers; rigorous career management; the diligence of the actions of the decision-making teachers; raising the retirement age to 65; the definitive correction of salary inequities.