Tunisian Workers Strike: ITUC-Africa Pushes For Dialogue in General Secretary's Statement

The International Trade Unions Confederation, ITUC-Africa, has called on Tunisian authorities to nip in the bud the ongoing strike by some unions in the country.

In a statement signed by the General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, Comrade Joel Odigie, dialogue remains the best solution in addressing the grievances of workers.

According to the statement, workers in the banking and financial institutions downed tools over their demand for decent pay “in the face of persistent high living costs and fiscal measures that have eroded real incomes”.

ITUC-Africa said, it stands in firm solidarity with the Union Générale Tunisienne du Travail (UGTT) and the Tunisian banking and financial sector workers.

It said that Tunisia has been navigating slow growth, tight public finances, and inflation that continues to squeeze ordinary households.

“We therefore urge the relevant Tunisian authorities, employers in the banking and financial sector, and regulatory institutions to return to the table and address the workers’ grievances in good faith.

“We further note that Tunisia’s ongoing fiscal and economic pressures, limited external financing, high unemployment, and the need for more ambitious reforms cannot be resolved by squeezing workers’ wages,” the statement read.

The ITUC-Africa Scribe stressed that Social justice, decent work, and functioning collective bargaining are part of the solution, not the problem.

“As trade unionists across Africa, we echo the workers’ song that has inspired generations, “for the union makes us strong,” and we send this as a message of courage to our sisters and brothers in Tunisia as they defend their livelihoods and dignity,” Odigie stated.

Among other things, the Confederation is demanding the adjustment of wages to restore purchasing power, reviewing fiscal or finance-law provisions that effectively reduce take-home pay for this category of workers, and unblocking sectoral social negotiations so that collective bargaining can function normally.

“ITUC-Africa also recalls that Tunisia’s unions—especially UGTT—have historically played a stabilising and democratising role in the country and remain a pillar for social peace. Undermining their role or ignoring legitimate socio-economic demands only prolongs uncertainty and hardship.

“Instead, authorities should see this strike as an invitation to rebuild trust through structured, time-bound, and inclusive dialogue,” he said.