During his intervention this Friday, May 23, 2025 on Midi Show, Taïeb Bouaïcha, an opposition figure within the Tunisian Labor Union (UGTT), launched a clear and firm appeal: it is necessary to refound the organization from top to bottom. According to him, the current situation of the union center is critical and requires drastic measures.
Bouaïcha has not chewed his words: he demands the pure and simple departure of the current union direction, which he considers disconnected and accounting of opaque and ineffective management. He also demands the summons of an urgent national council, in order to adopt a series of structural reforms.
Among the changes he deems essential: an in -depth review of the statutes and the internal regulations of the UGTT. Objective ? Put an end to the power deemed “absolute” of the executive office, decentralize decision -making, and guarantee the autonomy of the sectors in their struggles.
He also pointed out the financial management of the organization, described as “drift”, denouncing exaggerated expenses and without clear justification, undertaken without any democratic control. A complete financial transparency is essential, according to him.
For Bouaïcha, the UGTT, strong in its history and its militant base, has lost its substance by moving away from its founding values. He recalls that the union organization has always been a major player in Tunisian political life since 1956, and that it must today rethink its social role in the light of new challenges.
He notably underlined the importance of the role played by the UGTT in the pivotal moments of the history of the country, as in 2014. However, according to him, the current direction weakened this historical stature by multiplying compromises with power, thus betraying the mission of the union.
In summary, Bouaïcha is sounding the alarm: the UGTT must operate a radical turn, or risk sinking into insignificance.
