Arop Jonchol
Juba – Al-Wadi Newspaper
South Sudanese workers marked International Workers’ Day on Wednesday, May 1st, under the global theme “Workers’ Safety and Health,” with union leaders calling for urgent reforms including salary increases and improvements to working conditions amid a deepening economic crisis in the country.
In a press statement, Agasio Akol Arop, Deputy Secretary-General of the South Sudan Workers’ Trade Union Federation, congratulated workers across various sectors, emphasizing the importance of Labor Day in recognizing the dedication and sacrifices of workers despite mounting challenges.
Arop described the occasion as an opportunity to spotlight workers’ rights and defend them, recalling the global labor movement’s roots in the 1886 Chicago protests that demanded an eight-hour workday. “Civil servants in South Sudan deserve special recognition for continuing to serve under harsh living conditions,” he said, urging respect for labor laws, the elimination of child labor, and the extension of social protection to all workers, including those in the private sector and NGOs.
He further called on workers to stand united and promote a culture of dialogue and collective bargaining to secure their rights. Arop stressed that current wages are insufficient in the face of rising living costs and the depreciating value of the local currency.
Meanwhile, Otunet Benjamin Buba, the union’s Media Secretary, highlighted the vital role of women in navigating the economic crisis, noting that many have resorted to informal work to support their families and ensure their children’s education.
Buba criticized delays in salary payments in some states since the beginning of the year, arguing that low wages combined with high inflation are worsening workers’ hardships. He urged the government to swiftly implement its plan to pay salaries by the 24th of each month, as proposed by the economic leadership, and to utilize oil revenues to guarantee timely payments.
Despite the difficulties, Buba struck a note of optimism: “Happy Labor Day to all workers. We remain hopeful that regular salary payments will be restored as they once were.”
#LaborDay – A Legacy of Struggle
The origins of International Workers’ Day trace back to the 19th-century labor movement, particularly in the United States, where massive protests erupted in Chicago in 1886 demanding an eight-hour workday. The demonstrations culminated in the historic “Haymarket Affair,” etching May 1 into global memory as a symbol of labor rights. Today, most countries observe the holiday on May 1st, with exceptions like the United States, Canada, and New Zealand, which celebrate it on different dates.
