Tunisia: Three-day strike scheduled at Nawara and El Wèha oil fields (Tataouine) from November 30 /update 6

Event

In a statement made on Friday, November 20, the Regional Work Union (URT) called for a three-day strike in both the Nawara and El Wèha oil fields from Monday, November 30. The strike is reportedly due to the failure of negotiations with employers concerning the expulsion of 50 employees working in production centers and in the central administration.

Anti-government protests in the city of Tataouine are also to take place on Monday, November 23, over the non-payment of salaries for civil servants working in the city's environment and gardening agency. The protesters, led by the URT, are to gather in front of governorate buildings located in the Cite Tahrir district between 09:00 and 11:00 (local time), with the group claiming they will stage daily protests until the salaries are paid. It is unclear whether a government announcement made on Sunday, November 22, stating that the salaries would be paid on Monday will affect the protest.

Anti-government protests over the perceived lack of government funding in the region have been ongoing since May and have caused production at oil and gas facilities in the city to be halted.

Further protests cannot be ruled out over the near term. A heightened security presence and associated disruptions are likely in the vicinity of the protests.

Context

Demonstrations have been taking place in the region since late May over an unfulfilled government promise to implement the 2017 El Kamour Agreement by creating 1,500 jobs in the energy industry, as well as other promises of investment in the region. Despite agreements to create 500 jobs in June, protest groups demanded that the government fully honor the original quota and allocate 80 million dinars (32 million USD) in development funding for the governorate. Protests escalated in July following the arrest of a protest leader.

Advice

Those in Tataouine governorate are advised to monitor the situation, anticipate travel disruption in the case of future demonstrations, and avoid any associated political gatherings.