Textile workers in Tunisia received a 20% salary increase spread over 2024, 2025 and 2026. This increase follows an agreement, on January 12, 2024, between the General Federation of Textiles, Clothing, Shoe and Leather (FGTHCC) under the UGTT workers’ union, and the National Textile Federation (Fenatex) under the Utica employers’ organization.
The agreement concluded following negotiations organized by the General Labor Inspectorate and supervised by the Ministry of Social Affairs, provides for a salary increase of 6.5% for 2024 and 2025, and an increase of 7% for 2026, knowing that the inflation rate oscillates between 8.5% and 9.5%. A seniority bonus of 1% for each second year has also been agreed.
The agreement also includes revisions to several regulatory aspects, including amendments to chapters of the Joint Sectoral Agreement on Textiles. The new revisions ensure that the same grade is maintained for promotions, ensuring an upward career path. Habib Lahzami, secretary general of the FGTHCC-UGTT declares: “This increase is important to restore the purchasing power of workers in the sector. It is the result of a healthy social climate in the sector and responsible negotiations. This is an important union victory given the difficulties facing the Tunisian economy. This is the result of the hard work of the FGTHCC-UGTT over many years to organize and improve sectoral social dialogue. We congratulate all TGSL workers in Tunisia as well as the union leadership.”
It must be said in this context that the textile sector, which went through a long period of crisis, is beginning to recover and return to profit, notably with the resumption of exports to the European market, after the sharp deceleration observed during of the Covid-19 pandemic.
