London - Sudan is still suffering the dire consequences of the authorities' decision to dissolve trade unions and occupational federations last year, which they did amidst a wave of workers’ strikes and protests against the denial of their employment rights, ImpACT International for Human Rights Policies said in a statement.
The London-based think tank highlighted that the recent increase of strikes in both Sudan's manufacturing and service sectors is due to the absence of trade unions and associations entrusted with protecting worker rights.
After the army seized power in the country in October 2021, Sudanese military commander Abdel Fattah al-Burhan issued an order dissolving trade unions and occupational federations.
The absence of trade unions, which were in charge of protecting workers' rights and bridging the gap between wages and cost of living is to blame for Sudan's high number of strikes
The decision resulted in a significant deterioration in workers' access to their rights, prompting them to engage in a wave of successive strikes in response to non-payment of salaries, low wages, and deterioration of living conditions, as well as the threat of dismissal from their jobs.
More than 4,000 workers at the Sudanese Sugar Company went on an open-ended strike a few days ago, threatening to close the company and declare a general state of noncompliance if their demands for payment of salary arrears for several months since the beginning of this year were not met.
Furthermore, Ministry of Agriculture affiliated plant protection workers in Port Sudan went on strike a few days ago in protest, causing significant damage to exports, imports. This has especially impacted exporters and external suppliers.
Previously, hundreds of workers went on strike in six Sudanese dams to protest their transfer from the Sudanese Hydro Generation and Renewable Energy company to the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, which is in charge of the dams.
They also demand being re-affiliated with the aforementioned company to restore the privileges they were denied.
Although the strike was called off after negotiations with the administration due to concerns about the impact on the agricultural sector, workers promised to resume the walkout if their demands were not met, which is yet to happen.
The Sudanese labour law granted workers full freedom to work collectively to improve working conditions and did not prohibit striking as long as it is for workers and unions. This improved the country's union work.
Sudanese workers face a slew of problems, including severe economic and living crises, declining incomes in the face of rising daily expenses, and arbitrary dismissal measures that have affected tens of thousands of workers for political reasons in the last two years.
This encouraged employers and government institutions to ignore worker demands and rights guaranteed by labour law, increasing strikes and their damaging effects on the country.
ImpACT emphasized that the decision to dissolve the trade unions and occupational federations was wrong from the start and must be reversed. As per Sudanese law and the International Labor Organization Convention of 1998, a union can only be dissolved by a judicial decision.
Sudanese authorities should move quickly to address the issue of the absence of unions, as they are the most powerful means of achieving social justice, preserving the middle class, and combating attempts to exploit the working class. This will also protect the country from the risks of future wildcat strikes in light of government failure and deteriorating economic conditions.
Sudanese authorities must stop violating relevant laws and International Labor Organization conventions on trade union independence and freedom of association to fill the gap in social service provision and give workers their rights.