A three-day general strike begins in Tunisia's banking and finance sector
Employees in Tunisia's banking and finance sector have begun a three-day general strike demanding wage increases. The strike was organized by the General Union of Banks and Financial Institutions, affiliated with Tunisia's largest union UGTT.
Employees at banks, insurance companies, and financial institutions in Tunisia have begun a three-day general strike demanding wage increases and the protection of social rights.
The strike was organized by the General Union of Banks and Financial Institutions, affiliated with the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT). In a statement on Monday, the union announced it made this decision after the Banking and Finance Council and the Tunisian Insurance Association rejected the wage increase for 2025 and dialogue channels were blocked.
Protest demonstration in the capital
On the first day of the strike, hundreds of bank and finance employees held a protest demonstration in front of the UGTT headquarters in the capital Tunis. Participants chanted slogans such as "Independent union and workers are everything" and "Unite workers, against the assault of capital".
Addressing the protesters, General Secretary of the General Union of Banks and Financial Institutions Sami al-Salahi said, "This is a strike of honor. We demand a decent living and a wage increase for 2025."
Statements from the union and employer side
Al-Salahi emphasized that the strike itself is not an end goal, but a legal and legitimate protest tool to defend their rights and return to the dialogue table. The union stated that the struggle for rights and institutions will continue.
In response, the Banking and Finance Council, which represents Tunisian banks and finance companies, argued in a statement on its Facebook page on Monday evening that the strike was "unjustified" following the payment of wage increases. The council claimed that the call for a three-day sectoral strike "was not based on clear social or economic grounds" and could harm the interests of individuals, companies, and the relevant financial institutions.
The council also stated that the provisions of the strike law would be adhered to and that deductions would be made from the salaries and various allowances of employees participating in the strike.
Strikes have occurred in the past as well
Bank and insurance employees in Tunisia also held a two-day strike last November demanding wage increases.
