Tunisia's workers strike for higher payment

TUNIS, Jan 17 (KUNA) -- Most businesses and public services came to a halt on Thursday with some 700,000 civil servants observing a nationwide strike demanding payments' hike.
Witnesses said operations at Carthage International Airport stopped, with large numbers of passengers packing the terminal halls, many having failed to board departing aircraft.
Schools, colleges, universities and various public departments and facilities were shut. Public transports were also paralyzed and hundreds of public employees gathered outside headquarters of the Tunisian General Labor Union, which called for the nationwide protest.
Bouali Mbarki, the labor union assistant general secretary, said in a statement that the "strike was 100 percent successful," rejecting the authorities' insistence that the civil servants must perform basic work to ensure public and citizens' interests.
The union spokesman, Sami Al-Taheri, said the federation would take legal action against the government decision to coerce workers show up at the offices and labor places despite the strike. "The government wants to bend the law against the workers' interests and undermine their right to strike which is guaranteed by the constitution," he said.
Interior Ministry spokesman General Sufyan al-Zaq said in a statement all necessary measures to secure the strike throughout the nation were taken.
Yousef Chahed, the premier, said in televised remarks on even of the protest that the strike would be too costly, in shadow of the delicate economic conditions.
The nation is witnessing an economic crisis, amid soaring prices of necessities. Workers' average payment in Tunisia is estimated at euro 500. (end) kj.rk