Tunisie Telecoms crippling strike continues

TUNISIE Telecoms strike continues as workers seek better wages from their  employers. The country’s mobile business has been in turmoil since the overthrow of it previous government.

The company has suffered massive revenue loss, with some offices being forced to close down. The labour dispute is caused by some companies attempting to reduce the workforce in order to increase profits and liquidity.

During May 2011, Tunisie Telecom announced it would retrench their workforce in an effort to boost its profit margins.

The country’s workers union declared it would support a strike by the company’s employees in an effort to resolve the situation.

Global potential investors are worried that the strike might negatively affect the country’s economy.

Some strikers have forced employees of state-owned companies from reaching their workplace, says Deepak Padmanabhan, CEO of Emirates International Telecommunicaions (EIT)

EIT bought 35% of Tunisie Telecom in 2006. The Tunisian government has subsequently nationalized the majority of the company since the government collapsed in January 2011.

The Tunisian government announced this week that it may reach a settlement deal with the workers.

By Jonathan Terry – Senior ICT Journalist