Three-day public hospital strike in Tunis

Staff in all public hospitals in Tunisia are taking part in a three-day strike which started on Wednesday, Quds Press reports. A health ministry official said that it had failed to reach an agreement with the General Union of Tunisian Workers (UGTT) to postpone the industrial action.

UGTT called for the strike in protest at the government’s “negligence” over previous agreements on employees’ rights.

The ministry expressed its concern about the “disorder” that will affect healthcare provision in the country. In a statement issued on Tuesday, it said that it would exert all efforts to continue offering urgent services with cooperation from various parties.

Meanwhile, officials called for full respect for work freedom, noting that the ministry accepts union activities guaranteed by the Tunisian Constitution.