The growing power of Tunisia's labor union
As the Tunisian General Labor Union works to achieve the demands of Tunisian employees, it faces accusations of overpowering the government.
TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research signed an agreement with elementary school teachers to increase the wage awarded to substitute teachers in elementary education so it is equal to the wage awarded to their counterparts in secondary education. Following the signing of this agreement on May 8, teachers called off a strike that was scheduled for May 9-10 across all elementary schools in the country.
Meanwhile, the Syndicate of University Teachers and Researchers, affiliated with the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), decided May 5 to keep refraining from drafting the exam subjects of the first and second semesters despite an agreement reached March 12 with Tunisia’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research that led to the approval of a number of pedagogical and social privileges for university professors.
While university professors have been on strike since January and are calling for the implementation of a salary scale, Noureddine el-Salmi, the deputy minister of higher education and scientific research, said in a statement to Tunis Afrique Presse May 15 that presidents of universities would charge a committee of professors to prepare the needed exam subjects instead of the striking professors.
Also, the Ministry of Health responded to all of the demands of the Tunisian Organization of Young Doctors, a trade union organization, in accordance with a March 24 agreement between the parties.
