Tunisia's UGTT union threatens general strike amid social dialogue breakdown

The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) is escalating its stance against the current administration, with Secretary General Salahdedine Selmi warning that the national situation has become ‘tense and dangerous.’ Selmi stated that social dialogue has reached a state of ‘total absence’ and announced that the union is preparing its regional, local, and sectoral structures for all forms of struggle, including the possibility of a general strike.

Simultaneously, the General Federation of Higher Education and Scientific Research (FGESRS) is demanding immediate negotiations regarding the specific status of teaching staff. As the 2026-2027 academic year begins, the federation is calling for an increase in the university start-of-term bonus to the equivalent of one month's salary, the finalization of recruitment and promotion procedures, and the resolution of unemployment among doctoral holders. The union is seeking a participatory approach to address issues such as staff transfers and academic disputes.