Labor Day : In Burundi, promises pile up, conditions stagnate

SOS Médias Burundi

Bujumbura, May 1, 2025 – While authorities highlight the progress made in the public sector, unions denounce the persistently precarious working conditions in Burundi. On the occasion of the International Labor Day, the Burundi Trade Union Confederation (COSYBU) is sounding the alarm about the lack of health and security protection for the majority of workers, calling for urgent and concrete reforms.

This year again, the celebration is marked by persistent concerns among unions about the deterioration of working conditions. COSYBU is once again warning of the flagrant lack of health and safety structures in the country’s companies. According to COSYBU, only a few large employers—such as the Burundi Brewery Company (Brarudi) and the Burundi Soap, Oil, and Refinery Factory (Savonor)—offer medical services to their employees. Otherwise, the majority of workers, including those in high-risk sectors such as security, construction, industry, and transportation, are left to fend for themselves in the face of daily hazards.

“Security guards work night shifts, sometimes without shelter, protective equipment, or medical coverage in case of assault or injury,” laments a union representative.

The realities on the ground are often harsh : long workdays without adequate breaks, lack of health insurance, unsanitary conditions in factories, exposure to chemicals without prior training, failure to respect weekly rest, and unfair dismissals with no recourse. In rural areas, some farmworkers work without written contracts, for paltry wages, and without any legal protection.

In this context, the speech by President Évariste Ndayishimiye attempted to convey a message of hope. He praised the progress made in the civil service, while acknowledging that “what has not been done is on the table,” adding that reforms will take into account the country’s budgetary constraints. He also emphasized the importance of social dialogue in companies, calling on employers to collaborate with workers to improve collective performance.

But the unions, for their part, are waiting for concrete action. They denounce, in particular, the lack of a coherent wage policy in a context where rampant inflation is eroding the purchasing power. “The household basket is empty, and wages are stagnating. How can one live with dignity in these conditions?” asked a representative of COSYBU.

In response, President Ndayishimiye reaffirmed his government’s commitment to creating a healthy, equitable, and inclusive work environment. He urged citizens to get involved in national development through “collective self-assessment.”

May 1 is celebrated annually as a day of struggle for workers’ rights. Its origins lie in the 1886 workers’ strikes in Chicago, United States, where unions demanded an eight-hour day. Three years later, in 1889, the Socialist Congress in Paris established May 1 as an international day of protest. Over time, it has become a public holiday in many countries, including Burundi, a symbol of worker solidarity and social struggles.

Will May 1, 2025, remain a symbolic date or become a starting point for far-reaching reforms? The future of Burundian workers depends on it.

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Employees march on the sidelines of the Workers’ Day celebration in southwest Burundi