Tunisia: The transporters’ union cancels the current strike motion

Following an agreement signed with the government in the afternoon of Tuesday 24 January, the General Federation of Transport (transport union) under the Tunisian General Labour Union (Ugtt, central trade union) announced the cancellation of its strike scheduled for 25 and 26 January. This decision was made public in a press release issued by the transport union on Wednesday 25 January.

“After negotiations (…) a historic agreement was reached in favour of the sector’s employees and a minute was signed to this effect. Negotiations on the contentious issues will continue at a later stage, and therefore it has been decided to postpone the strike to 15 and 16 March 2023,” the statement said.

For example, the General Transport Federation did not elaborate on the details of its agreement with the government. A previous meeting between the two parties on Monday 23 January was not successful after 13 hours of negotiations. This is because the representatives of the head of government, Najla Bouden, and the Minister of Finance, Sihem Nemsia, had refused to sign the agreement, the union said.

It should be recalled that the General Federation of Transport had decided on 28 December 2022 to observe a general sectoral strike on 25 and 26 January 2023 to demand the improvement of the professional and material conditions of employees and the application of Law No. 9 of 1989 on public holdings, enterprises and establishments, as well as the implementation of the agreements concluded over the last two years with the presidency of the government and the Ministry of Transport. Buses and metros were to be grounded, planes grounded and ships docked, according to the strike call.

Stakeholders in the public transport sector are calling for an increase in salaries, as well as greater visibility regarding the fate and future of public companies, particularly those in the transport sector. Stakeholders in the public transport sector are calling for an increase in salaries, as well as greater visibility regarding the fate and future of public companies, particularly those in the transport sector.