Strike over pay paralyses transport in Tunisian capital

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS (Reuters) -Metro and bus traffic in Tunisia’s capital ground to a halt on Monday after employees of state transport company Transtu held a strike over delays in payment of wages and bonuses.

The strike in Tunis highlights the financial problems faced by public companies on the verge of bankruptcy while President Kais Saied’s government contends with its worst financial crisis.

“The financial situation in the company is really difficult,” said Transtu spokesperson Hayat Chamtouri.

The industrial action is a show of strength for the powerful UGTT union, which has pledged to hold a series of protests.

The union, with 1 million members, has approved a two-day strike by air, land and sea transport workers on Jan. 25 and 26 to protest against what it called “the government’s marginalisation of public companies”.

Hundreds of Transtu workers staged a protest in Kasbah Square, near the Prime Minister’s office, demanding payment of money they are owed by the company.

They raised slogans such as “we want our rights … we don’t ask for an advantage”.

Monday’s strike is open-ended and will continue until the workers’ demands are met, said UGTT official Wajih Zidi, adding that some employees have been left unable to pay their debts.

The travel chaos provoked an angry response from some among the thousands of people struggling to move around the capital.

“Today we do not find milk, oil, sugar or coffee. Also now we do not find buses that take us to work. Tunisia has become an unbearable hell,” said Nejia, a woman waiting at a bus station.

In the poor Intilaka neighbourhood, people blocked roads to protest against the strike.

Tunisia is seeking a $1.9 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund in exchange for unpopular reforms including spending cuts, the restructuring of public companies and reductions to energy and food subsidies.

Economy minister Samir Saeed last month said that Tunisia will face a difficult year, with inflation set to climb above 10%.

The strike will increase pressure on the government of President Saied, who is facing growing opposition 17 months after seizing executive powers in a move his opponents described as a coup.

($1 = 3.1136 Tunisian dinars)

(Reporting by Tarek AmaraEditing by David Evans and David Goodman)