By Ebi Kesiena
Tunisia powerful UGTT Union on Wednesday approved to embark on a two-day strike by air, land and sea transport workers on Jan. 25 and 26, to protest against what it called “the government’s marginalisation of public companies”.
The strike will pile pressure on the government of President Kais Saied, who is facing growing opposition 17 months after seizing executive powers in a move his opponents described as a coup.
Why do we accept this situation? We will not accept it…we will occupy the streets to defend our choices and the interest of the people,” Noureddine Taboubi, head of UGTT said.
UGTT has over a million members, and has a proven track record of paralyzing the local economy with strikes.
Saied staged a dramatic power grab in July 2021, sacking the government, suspending parliament and rocking the foundations of the only democracy to have emerged from the Arab Spring uprisings.