SAES Achieves Landmark Victory for Pension Reversion and Research Allowance in Senegal

The Autonomous Union of Higher Education (SAES) in Senegal has secured pension reversion for beneficiaries and the inclusion of research allowances in pension calculations through a government decree signed on March 7, 2025. This victory rectifies prior injustices regarding pension benefits for the families of deceased lecturers and researchers following years of advocacy. SAES continues to strive for additional improvements in academic conditions, highlighting the importance of ongoing vigilance among its members.

The Autonomous Union of Higher Education (SAES) has achieved significant progress regarding retirement benefits for university lecturers and researchers in Senegal. On March 7, 2025, the Senegalese government officially signed a decree that authorizes pension reversion for beneficiaries and incorporates the research allowance into pension calculations. This decision signals a major victory following years of persistent advocacy and negotiation by the union, providing essential relief to families of deceased academic staff.

Prior to this breakthrough, the absence of pension reversion meant that spouses and orphans of deceased lecturers received only a nominal amount, approximately 13% of the deceased person’s net salary. The union has tirelessly campaigned for fairer conditions since a landmark agreement dated March 15, 2018, which established a pension replacement rate of 85% of the last net salary but left the matter of pension reversion unaddressed until recently.

In January 2023, SAES secured a protocol agreement with the government aimed at reforming pension reversion, yet progress was perceived to be stagnant. As the expiration of the union’s strike notice approached in January 2025, pressure mounted on authorities, leading to intensified negotiations by lecturers and researchers, ultimately resulting in the signing of the crucial decree on March 7, 2025.

The new decree is a significant advancement as it ensures that families of deceased lecturers will now receive pension reversion, enhancing their financial security. Furthermore, the inclusion of the research allowance in retirement calculations represents a substantial improvement, increasing future earnings for university staff. SAES’s national secretary-general underscored the decree as a “correction of an injustice that weighed on the families of deceased colleagues,” and called for the regularization of pension contributions for lecturers on secondment.

Despite this notable victory, SAES remains committed to addressing additional critical demands such as upgrading university infrastructure, increasing the recruitment of lecturers, and securing better funding for research initiatives. The union has expressed its determination to uphold a peaceful academic atmosphere while urging its members to remain vigilant in ensuring the full realization of the January 2023 agreement.

In conclusion, SAES’s recent success in securing pension reversion and the integration of research allowances into retirement calculations marks a significant advancement for university lecturers and their families in Senegal. This decree not only rectifies prior injustices but also emphasizes the union’s ongoing commitment to improving academic conditions and advocating for further enhancements in university infrastructure and funding.

Original Source: www.senenews.com