International Workers' Day: UGTT Secretary-General Reiterates Commitment to Social Partnership
On the occasion of International Workers' Day, Salah Eddine Salmi, Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), reaffirmed that the trade union organization has no intention of seeking power, emphasizing that this responsibility lies exclusively with political parties and actors. He reiterated the UGTT's commitment to its role as a social partner, as guaranteed by the Constitution and the law.
In a speech marking the celebration, the trade union leader firmly rejected any attempt to limit this role or hinder the UGTT's mission to defend workers' interests. He highlighted that the organization will continue to engage in expressing its positions on various public policies and economic and social situations, with the aim of responding to the expectations of its members and the broader Tunisian people.
This statement comes at a particular time, marked by the opening of a new trade union mandate following the 26th UGTT Congress held in Monastir in late March 2026. On this occasion, Salmi thanked the congress delegates for their trust, praising their contribution to the success of the works and the strengthening of the organization's internal democratic traditions.
In this context, the Secretary-General called for making this Workers' Day a turning point towards a new stage based on solidarity and reconciliation. He advocated for a rapprochement between the different components of the Union, as well as between generations of trade unionists, organizational structures, and militant bases.
Insisting on the need to overcome past divergences, he exhorted opening a new page, free from divisions and exclusionary logics. He specified that the reconciliation recommended by the last Congress must be global and inclusive, concerning all those who adhere to the fundamental principles of the UGT.
Concluding his intervention, Salmi affirmed the will to concretize this dynamic of unity in the shortest possible time, considering it an essential condition for strengthening trade union action and addressing the economic and social challenges to come.
Read also: Today, Workers' Day: Employment, a question of all moments
