Leading Tunisian labor union calls for major strike

Tunisia’s main labor union has called for a nationwide general strike in protest at a recent attack against its members during a demonstration.

On Wednesday, the General Union of Tunisia (UGTT) announced that it will hold a strike across the country on December 13.

The strike is in response to an attack against UGTT members outside the union’s headquarters in Tunis on Tuesday.

The union was marking the 60th anniversary of the assassination of its founder, Farhat Hached. At least ten demonstrators were wounded in the attack.

The UGTT holds the League for the Protection of the Revolution, a group close to the ruling Ennahda party, responsible for the Tuesday attack. The union is demanding the dissolution of the group.

The strike comes as Tunisia prepares to mark the second anniversary of the country’s revolution that led to the ouster of dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

The nationwide strike is the union’s third such action since its establishment more than 60 years ago.