Tunisia's UGTT calls nationwide public sector strike 

TUNIS - Tunisia's powerful UGTT union called a nationwide public sector strike for Oct. 24 to protest against what it called government plans to sell public companies, the latest tension with the government, which is under intense pressure.

It called for another walkout across the country on Nov. 22 over stalled pay negotiations with the government and record levels of inflation.

The country has struggled to fulfill donors' demands to reform its economy and cut its budget deficit amid turmoil since the ousting of president Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011.

"In the light of continued deterioration in purchasing power and government plans to sell many public companies, UGTT decided to go on general strike in the public sector on Oct. 24", Nourredine Taboubi, the head of UGTT, told reporters.

This announcement came as the prime minister, Youssef Chahed, faces a strong campaign from his party, which demanded his resignation and accused him of failure to revive the economy.

Chahed said this week that despite the lack of political support for the government it will go ahead next year with reforms.

In March, Chahed said that ailing public companies needed to be restructured quickly, as the North African country is struggling with economic crisis and a ballooning budget deficit.

Public companies had accumulated losses of about $3 billion, officials said.