The trade union center has been mobilizing for a month to demand its freedom of association after the arrest of a trade unionist on 1 February. Secretary General Noureddine Taboubi raised his voice against President Kaïs Saïed in his speech during the demonstration. He also referred to recent events affecting sub-Saharan migrants in Tunisia, recalling that the country is a land of tolerance.
With our correspondent in Tunis, Lilia Blaise
Demonstrators brandishing baguettes to denounce inflation less than a month from the start of Ramadan and placards with the slogan “Do not touch my UGTT”. This Saturday, the trade union center mobilized on several issues. But the tone of the speech of its secretary general, Nourreddine Taboubi, quickly took a political turn: “ I salute the politicians and activists currently in prison. »
By referring to the twenty or so people arrested in recent weeks in the political, legal and business worlds, the UGTT is assuming a political position. For a trade unionist, it is a question of raising the tone also vis-a-vis the problems which the central meets with the executive power: The current situation is complicated because there was the refoulement at the airport of a Spanish trade unionist this week and the order to leave the territory for a European trade unionist two weeks ago, when they had come to support the UGTT. This shows the pressure of power on union leaders. »
President Kaïs Saïed spoke about these incidents on Friday evening. He said anyone is free to protest but he doesn’t have to invite foreign parties to participate…
The UGTT always says to call for dialogue. It should submit within two weeks its roadmap for a way out of the crisis. An initiative started with a quartet of associations since the beginning of January