Labour Unions in Tunisia are expected to demonstrate in the coming days to register their displeasure over wages.
It follows a breakdown in talks between the government and Tunisia’s General Labour Union which represents the interest of some 670,000 workers.
The protest slated for Thursday could disrupt activities at airports, ports and other vital institutions in the North African country.
This renewed threat to demonstrate comes amidst plans by the Tunisian government to trim public sector wage bill to 12.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product in 2020 from the present 15.5 percent.
The workers in November last year embarked on a similar strike to demand for an increase in their wages.
Available statistics showed that Tunisia’s wage bill had doubled to about 16 billion dinars ($5.5 billion) in 2018 from $7.6 billion in 2010.
The International Monetary Fund in December last year approved a programme worth $2.8 billion to help revive Tunisia’s economy.
Meanwhile a new World Bank report suggests economic growth rate in Tunisia is expected to stand at 2.9 percent in 2019 given the reforms undertaken and the pick-up in tourism flows.
It further projects growth rates of 3.4 percent and 3.6 percent in 2020 and 2021 respectively.
Source: Africafeeds.com
