All flights to and from Tunisia to be halted as strike begins tomorrow 

All international flights to and from Tunisia will be cancelled tomorrow due to a national public strike called by the powerful Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), a union official told Reuters today.

The union called a nationwide strike by employees in state companies in “defence of workers’ rights” after a government decision to freeze wages as part of a reform package aimed at reaching a deal on a $4 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“All international and domestic flights will also stop, starting from 00.00 tonight. The strike will include all cruises as well,” said Wajih Zidi, the official in the UGTT union.

The UGTT called for a nationwide public sector strike to be held tomorrow to denounce the country’s increasing inflation rate and demand guarantees that state-owned companies will not be privatised as the government attempts to secure the IMF loan.

READ: Tunisia’s labor union rejects IMF conditions for economic reform