The new Tunisian government is facing a set of controversial issues that previous governments have been unable to solve, including the protests of the mining basin in al-Gafsa, the disruption of phosphate production, and al-Kamour sit-in in the Tataouine region.
The cabinet hopes its current agreement with the leaders of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) will help find solutions to several pending issues.
The UGTT has announced its support for the government of independent experts formed by Hichem Mechichi.
Talks between the two sides have resulted in an agreement on the third installment of the wages of public sector employees. In addition, Mechichi reinstated UGTT’s former leader Mohamed Trabelsi as Minister of Social Affairs.
Trabelsi is the Union’s main negotiator in a number of meetings on social and economic issues.
The Prime Minister launched talks on Saturday on the disruption of phosophate production and transportation in the mining basin, and hydrocarbons in Tataouine region, stressing that the main goal is to find convenient solutions to these social issues.
He stressed that it is no longer acceptable to halt the production of phosphates and oil, noting that these protests damage the state's own resources.
Political analyst Jamal al-Arfaoui believes that the transformation in the relationship between the government and the Union is linked to the drop in state resources and the consequent severe economic and social crises.
He indicated that this led to a “compulsory social truce in order to save the situation in the country that is on the verge of bankruptcy."
In light of the recent situation, both sides realized that it is no longer feasible to rely on confrontation, according to Arfaoui.
The analyst added that the two parties have exchanged messages, and Mechichi asserted that the UGTT is a fundamental partner in overcoming social crises.
The Union responded by saying it was open to help the government overcome the difficult period, which yielded positive outcomes and could result in a real partnership to save the country.
He believed that the Union’s fear of the parliamentary alliance led by Ennahda Movement, Heart of Tunisia, and the Dignity Coalition might be among the reasons that pushed the UGTT “to the government's rescue and to extend a helping hand.”
Meanwhile, al-Kamour sit-in organized a meeting in al-Tataouine region between the government and the Union.
The meeting called upon the government to implement its 2017 pledges.
Tariq Haddad, spokesman for al-Kamour protests, asserted that the first and foremost goal behind these meetings is to defend the right to development, and to ensure job opportunities to the unemployed youth.
The Assistant Secretary-General of the UGTT’s legal affairs, Hafeez Abdul Hafeez, said that lengthy sessions, no later than October 15, will be held with the government to settle the issue of civil society workers after the revolution.
The Union is also expected to announce an increase in the minimum wage of private sector workers as part of efforts to improve the purchasing power of the poor.
