RTS management and unions clash over labor disputes in Senegal

A conflict is intensifying between the management of Radiodiffusion Télévision Sénégalaise (RTS) and its labor unions. The dispute involves wage demands, social benefits, and threats to boycott the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games.

Director General Pape Alé Niang has responded to union criticisms by presenting ten arguments to defend his administration. He claims to be working to clear debts inherited from previous management, including over 350 million FCFA owed to the health insurance institution (IPM) and more than 120 million FCFA owed to the staff cooperative. Niang has reportedly negotiated a moratorium to settle the medical debt by November 2026.

In a separate critique, Alioune Diop, CEO of Senxibar, defended Niang against what he described as a campaign of misinformation by unionists. Diop suggested the core of the disagreement stems from the suspension of a social agreement negotiated under former director Racine Talla, which was allegedly frozen following the transition to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye's administration. Diop noted that while Niang may favor restoring the agreement, the final decision may rest with the presidency.