UGTT Holds Tunisian Government Responsible for Breaching Labour Laws and Undermining Collective Bargaining

UGTT Holds Tunisian Government Responsible for Breaching Labour Laws and Undermining Collective Bargaining

The Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) has strongly condemned the government’s unilateral cancellation of scheduled negotiation sessions in the transport and agriculture sectors, calling it a serious violation of national labour legislation and international obligations.

In an official statement issued by its Executive Bureau, the UGTT denounced the government’s decision as a blatant breach of the principles of social dialogue and a step backward from the commitments made to social partners. The cancellation jeopardizes the progress of collective negotiations and risks escalating tensions in two key economic sectors.

🔹 Violation of National and International Labour Standards
The UGTT stressed that the disruption of collective bargaining is a clear infringement of Law No. 2002-35 on Social Dialogue, as well as a violation of ILO Conventions No. 87 and 98, which guarantee freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining.

🔹 Call for Immediate Action
The union urged the Tunisian government to honour its commitments and resume negotiations without delay, reaffirming that genuine social dialogue remains the only path to protecting workers’ rights and ensuring social peace.

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The Arab Trade Union Confederation (ATUC) expresses its full solidarity with the UGTT in defending trade union rights and the principle of collective bargaining, and calls on all Arab governments to uphold their legal and international obligations, and refrain from unilateral actions that undermine social dialogue.