The regional trade union center of Sfax confirms the holding of a general strike on November 18. A decision which comes in a tense social climate, after the government announcement of a decree setting salary increases for the next three years without going through the usual negotiations.
The union reaction to a major social turning point
The regional union of the UGTT in Sfax will not turn back. Its deputy secretary general, Mohamed Abbas, confirmed Friday, November 14, on Jawhara FM, that the general strike planned for November 18 will be maintained.
This announcement comes in a context of national tension around the Ministry of Social Affairs’ plan to set by decree salary increases for the public and private sectors, as well as retirement pensions, over a period of three years.
By opting for a regulatory text, the government intends to establish sectoral amounts and percentages without systematically going through the traditional route of social dialogue. Only certain sectors covered by collective agreements could continue to negotiate.
2025 salary negotiations at a standstill
For the UGTT of Sfax, this approach marks a decline in the institutional framework for consultation. Mohamed Abbas recalled that the discussions initiated for the 2025 increases were interrupted, accusing the Ministry of Social Affairs of being at the origin of this suspension.
The trade union center believes that the government decision circumvents the negotiation mechanisms considered essential to social balance.
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