Yesterday, a massive crowd of 650,000 public sector workers in Tunisia walked out of their jobs in a strike for higher wages.
Since the overthrowing of Tunisia’s previous ruler in 2011, public sector workers have been demanding increased salaries to combat rising housing costs and unemployment rates. This current strike is one of the largest nationwide strikes in decades, with those marching claiming to be doing so on behalf of all those affected by adverse living conditions.
In an on-site interview with Al Jazeera, one unnamed striker said that “people here don’t have enough to buy even the most basic food, especially those with children. You cannot imagine how bad this is. This is a revolution of the hungry here in Tunisia.”
Government ministries, universities, and public schools have all been shut down by the strike. Unemployment is currently at 15%, with price inflation at a record high. Everyone is feeling the effects of this monetary pinch, and union leaders have organized everyone in their unions to make a statement through sheer numbers. Union leaders also encouraged all workers to participate in upcoming elections, stressing that these elections would be especially important for the country’s future.
