Tunisian ITF unions call strike in face of workers’ rights abuses

Transport sector workers in Tunisia have called a one-day strike on 12 December 2013 in response to the continuing erosion of workers’ rights.

ITF affiliates Fédération Nationale des Transports (FNT) and Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT) have jointly called on Tunisia’s supervisory authority to stop its attack on trade unions. It has also demanded that all FNT/UGTT agreements must be recognised by the authority, that the culture of nepotism must be rejected in favour of transparent recruitment procedures, that the transport fleet must be renewed, and that the sector will continue to reject all attempts at privatisation.

The one-day strike follows on from several alarming incidents earlier this year. Members of the General Union of Maritime and Ports were reportedly gassed and intimidated by police during a general strike in March. This was followed by the indefinite suspension of one of the workers, during which time his monthly salary, meal receipts and medical treatment were withheld. In August, eight workers at Coast Transport Company who protested the harassment of their union general secretary were dismissed, demoted or suspended from work.

Bilal Malkawi, ITF Arab World regional secretary, backed the strike effort, saying: “Transport workers in Tunisia have kept the country moving since the beginning of the revolution in 2011. They’ve made many sacrifices in the course of fulfilling their work. As the country continues to repair itself in the wake of significant disruption, companies and authorities in Tunisia must recognise the vital role that transport workers play in its recovery. The repression must stop – and we back our affiliates all the way.”

Breaking news: The FNT issued a decision on 30 November 2013 not to accept Ministry of Transport officials on Tunisair aircrafts on official trips from 5 December 2013. They said that Tunisair's finances have suffered because of political decisions taken by the Ministry of Transport, and stated that national action must be taken to defend national institutions.