Tunisia’s influential UGTT union has announced a nationwide strike on January 21, protesting restrictions on union rights and demanding wage-increase negotiations.
This move escalates tensions with President Kais Saied, who has been consolidating power since his 2021 power grab.
The strike could cripple key public sectors, including transportation, healthcare, and education, and strain the government’s scarce finances, potentially leading to social unrest.
The UGTT, a Nobel Prize-winning union, has been at odds with President Saied, accusing him of undermining workers’ rights and attempting to weaken the union’s leadership.
The union’s secretary-general, Noureddine Taboubi, has stated that the strike is a response to the government’s refusal to engage in meaningful dialogue and its attempts to suppress union activity.
The strike comes amid a severe economic crisis in Tunisia, with high inflation, unemployment, and poverty rates.
The government has been struggling to address these issues, and the strike is likely to add to the pressure on President Saied to implement reforms.
The UGTT has a long history of activism and has played a significant role in Tunisia’s political landscape, including during the Arab Spring uprising in 2011.
The union’s actions are seen as a major test for President Saied, who has been accused of authoritarian tendencies and suppressing dissent.
