Tunisia labor union slams gov't over 'contact' with IMF

By Yosra Ouanes

TUNIS (AA) - The Tunisian General Labor Union (TGLU) on Wednesday condemned what it described as recent “contact” between government and International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials.

On Tuesday, negotiations broke down between the government and the TGLU, the country's largest labor union, over the issue of proposed salary raises for Tunisia’s civil servants.

At a press conference, TGLU spokesman Sami al-Taheri said members of the government’s negotiating team had recently been in "direct contact” with IMF officials.

Al-Taheri went on to describe the alleged “contact” as a “clear infringement of [Tunisia’s] sovereignty”.

The TGLU frequently criticizes the government for allegedly engaging in discussion of “national issues” with IMF officials.

Following Tuesday's failed talks, the TGLU reaffirmed plans to stage a general strike Thursday to demand higher public-sector salaries.

Last November, the union organized a general strike to demand higher wages for members of Tunisia’s roughly 650,000-strong public workforce.

Last year’s strike, however, failed to prompt the government to respond to the TGLU’s demands.

Since Tunisia’s popular uprising in 2011, the country has weathered at least three general strikes to protest deteriorating economic conditions.

Tunisia was the birthplace of the "Arab Spring" uprisings that swept the Middle East and North Africa in early 2011.

The Tunisian uprising forced the country’s authoritarian ruler, Zein Al Abidine Ben Ali, to resign after almost 25 years in power.