Following what it described as an attempted assault on its headquarters on August 7 by unidentified groups, and threats made the next day by President Kaïs Saïed, Tunisia’s powerful trade union confederation has hit back, calling for a mass march on August 21.
The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the country’s largest and most influential trade union, said it would not bow to pressure after President Saïed’s supporters accused it of corruption and tried to force their way into its offices.
UGTT Secretary-General Noureddine Taboubi dismissed the allegations as baseless and urged that disputes be settled through the courts rather than through smear campaigns. The incident, which comes amid mounting political tensions, has been seen by several human rights groups as yet another sign of shrinking freedoms since the president assumed sweeping powers in 2021.
Winner of the 2015 Nobel Peace Prize for its pivotal role in Tunisia’s democratic transition, the UGTT remains a major social force with the ability to mobilise across both the public and private sectors. Its leaders insist the union will continue to defend workers’ rights and its independence in the face of what they see as an attempt to weaken its influence in the country’s political and social spheres.
MK/sf/ac/lb/as/APA