Union Demands Minimum Wage, Safer Workplaces, End to Sexual Harassment

By Fatou Sillah

The President of the Federation of Labour Unions of The Gambia, Omar Ceesay, has disclosed in an interview with StarTV that the union has presented seven key demands to the government, including the introduction of a national minimum wage, stronger workplace safety measures, and policies to combat sexual harassment at work.

Speaking on the union’s ongoing engagement with the government, he said a legally established minimum wage is necessary to protect workers, particularly those in the private and informal sectors, who often earn salaries insufficient to meet basic living costs.

“We gave seven points on the needs of workers to the government, among them that the government should set a minimum wage for Gambian workers. Today, civil servants in Grade One are getting nothing less than D6,000, but if you go to the private sector and the informal sector, people are being paid D2,000 or D3,000. At the stage The Gambia is at right now, what can they do with that amount?” he said.

He explained that the proposed minimum wage would help ensure that every worker receives a basic income sufficient to meet essential needs each month.

Beyond wages, he said the federation is advocating for improved occupational health and safety standards, noting that safe working conditions are a fundamental right of every worker.

He also revealed that the union has received complaints of sexual harassment in some workplaces and is collaborating with the government to develop policies that will protect victims and provide confidential reporting mechanisms.

“Sexual harassment is happening in some workplaces because we’ve received complaints from workers, and we are working with the government to put policies in place that will protect workers from it and allow them to report the matter confidentially,” he said.

He added that the federation is also working with the government to eliminate child labour and forced labour, while ensuring workers have access to social security benefits and other protections guaranteed under labour law.