Members of the Sudanese Professionals Association (SPA) protested in front of the premises of the Sudanese Trade Unions Federation yesterday. The Federation refused to receive a petition from the Association demanding increase of salaries and wages and improvement of living conditions. The SPA vowed to continue organizing vigil campaigns to push for better pay and favorable living conditions for professionals and workers.

After the SPA announced its intent to meet with several parliamentary blocs to ventilate their grievances, the Accountability and Grievances Panel hurriedly organized a meeting with the SPA representatives to discuss the issue of low salaries and wages. The meeting was held in the presence of representatives from the Sudanese Trade Unions Federation, Higher Council for Wages and Salaries, federal ministry of labour, federal ministry of finance and members of parliament. During the meeting, the SPA presented a study it prepared on salaries and wages in Sudan.

According to Al Tahreer newspaper, during the meeting the Federation admitted that salaries and wages are low and demanded an increase to cope with hardships and rising inflation.

The SPA stated that the Higher Council for Salaries and Wages and the Trade Unions Federation agreed to increase basic pay to SDG 2019 instead of SDG 425 but SPA insisted that the basic pay should be increased to SDG 8664.

Article 40 (1)of the Interim Constitution of Sudan provides for the right to peaceful assembly: “every person shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form or join political parties, associations and trade or professional unions for the protection of his/her interests.

Source: Alttahrer