By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Financial transactions in Tunisia were on Monday brought to a halt as bank staff commenced a 2-day warning strike over poor pay, amid the country’s struggles with economic crisis.
Queues surfaced at ATM points following the strike but customers were frustrated as many of the cash points were not working.
“We are struggling with everything. Many medicines are missing. Some goods are in short supply … The cost of living is extremely high, and now we are left paralysed without cash,” Reuters quoted a lady, Imen Ben Salaam as saying.
An influential labour union, UGTT called the strike after talks over pay rise and working conditions with the banking council ended without an agreement. The council represents all public and private banks.
The union says rising costs of living have eroded employees’ purchasing power, demanding “urgent adjustments” to salaries.
Analysts say the impact of the strike highlights UGTT’s enduring influence in a country where President Kais Saied has centralised power since he began ruling by decree in 2021.
Saied’s government suspended three NGOs last week and many critics have been jailed, in a widening crackdown on civil society and the opposition.
Saied says he is fighting traitors, corrupt figures and mercenaries. He accuses civil society groups of receiving foreign funding with the aim of interfering in Tunisian affairs.
UGTT head Noureddine Taboubi told hundreds of bank workers gathered near its headquarters on Monday that “union rights, as well as public and individual freedoms, were under attack”.
“Trade unionists are fighting not only for their rights but also for their dignity,” he added.
Tunisia is grappling with a severe economic crisis, with a shortage of foreign funding and investment, weak economic growth, public debt exceeding 80% of GDP, shortages of some essential goods and poor public services.
