Today, hundreds of thousands of employees from the public sector and public service companies are carrying out a general strike to protest against the Tunisian government's intransigence to establish a fair increase in wages in the public sector and its non-implement of the agreement signed two moths ago in the public sector companies.
The negotiations failed between the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and the government, which lasted until the last minute because of the government's adherence to proposals that did not satisfy and meet the unions’ and workers’ expectations, who are suffering because of the rise in prices and in the purchasing power.
In response to the government's inaccuracies about the negotiations and the accusation to the union of "trying to spark the situation and make it tenser, “Hfaidh Hfaidh”, a member of the National Executive Office, said that enabling the public employees to reduce their purchasing power costs the government 1250 billion dinars and not 2500 billion dinars, as stated by the government.
He pointed out in media statements that the participation of the public sector in the strike is not an escalation of the union, its rather because the points signed by the government have not been met yet, concerning the termination of negotiations on the revision of the Public Law of Public Institutions before 31 December 2018 and the formation of a joint committee for the reform of the public institutions.
In a reply of “Hfaidh Hfaidh” to the Minister of Social Affairs, who claimed that the tax credit does not deprive pensioners in the National Pension Fund and Social Insurance, stressed that this is illegal according to Chapter 37 of the Retirement Act of 1985, reminding that the operating organization will not accept less increases from the public sector and for the same deadlines’ exchange.
It is expected that the administrative board will meet on 19 January, which is the second decision authority in the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), which will hold a strike today and will decide a plan of protest escalation in the coming period.
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