A 72-hour general strike began in Senegal on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, initiated by the Trade Union Front for the Defense of Labor (FSDT), which brings together 13 labor unions.
The strike has paralysed several sectors - including healthcare, education, and transport - as the Youth Olympic Games (YOG), set to be held in Dakar, approach.
Key Demands include purchasing power, working conditions, and pensions and wages.
Purchasing power: Protests against the high cost of living, inflation, and a decline in living standards.
Working conditions: The state’s failure to honor previously signed agreements with the unions.
Pensions and wages: Demands for an increase in retirement pensions and salaries.
Impact on Key Sectors
Transport: Significant disruption to urban and intercity transport (notably affecting the operator Dakar Dem Dikk), forcing the state to deploy military personnel to maintain a minimum level of service on certain routes.
Healthcare: A slowdown or complete halt in operations at various public facilities (such as hospitals and dialysis centers), compelling patients to seek care in the private sector.
Education and public administration: Disruptions across schools, universities, and public services.
Government Response
The government, speaking through the Minister of the Civil Service and Labour, Mamadou Lamine Dianté, has declared the strike action unlawful, while simultaneously renewing a call for social dialogue and consultation - all just days before the historic start of the Youth Olympic Games on October 31, 2026.