The Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT by its French acronym) called on the government to stop all measures affecting the wages and benefits of employees, and stressed that the statement of the Minister of Finance on further control of public expenditures, especially rental costs, should be withdrawn, warning against continuing to implement it.
In a statement, UGTT expressed its discontent at the deterioration of the social conditions of all workers in the private sector and free professions, craftsmen and those who lost any bond, conditions exacerbated with an unprecedented rise in prices, especially with the month of Ramadan, in the absence of political will to address the monopolists and the lack of capabilities to monitor production, storage and distribution plans and because of their incapability against the lobbyist merchants who take advantage of wars and crises.
UGTT condemned the reluctance of a number of businessmen in the application of the April 14, 2020 agreement to grant all private sector employees who are forcibly put to quarantine their wages during the whole month of April with the support of the state for them and their institutions, calling on the heads of enterprises to abide by the agreement and accelerate the payment of workers’ dues.
UGTT expressed its rejection of the successive statements of senior officials and their calls to prepare for painful procedures, considering that they violate the rights of the workers and target the public institutions that are solely bearing all the burdens, especially in the public health sector, at a time when some businessmen have abandoned their national duty.
UGTT also denounced the appointments that were made recently, while the workers were deprived of their promotions and withdrew their gains, some appointments were made based on party bias, loyalty and satisfaction, and did not observe the accuracy of the circumstance and the scarcity of resources. UGTT considered that these appointments were not in response to the principle of efficiency but came according to the quota and political extortion principles, that guides official behaviour in some strategic sectors such as transportation, for example.
In its statement, UGTT warned against exploiting these circumstances to pass foreign projects and agreements that are hostile to Tunisia’s interests, considering that any step in this direction would be faced with popular rejection and civil confrontation.
On the other hand, UGTT called for positive interaction with the strategic preventive guide it provided in order to provide all safeguards of protection and safety in all institutions, departments and workplaces, in order to properly organize the gradual return to activity in work centers, production sites, transportation, and in all public space from by providing all the protective supplies such as sterilization, disinfection, prevention, social spacing, and others.
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