Following Tuesday’s signing of the agreement on the payment of April wages for private-sector employees between the Minister of Social Affairs, the Secretary- General of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and the President of the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA) , UTICA reiterated, on Wednesday, its commitment to the country and its attachment to national solidarity, in this difficult situation underwent by the country.
UTICA has asked the government and the Central Bank of Tunisia (BCT) to authorise banks to grant the necessary facilities to companies facing liquidity problems to enable them to pay April salaries.
It also urged the central bank to speed up the support measures decided in favour of companies, including the setting up of a guarantee line, and to encourage banks to grant credit to companies to enable them to preserve jobs and resume their activities once the general confinement is lifted.
Besides, the employers’ organization called for enterprises to be allowed to apply the technical unemployment mechanism during the period after the general health lockdown and to maintain the occasional exceptional aid of 200 dinars provided by the Government for the benefit of enterprise employees throughout lockdown.
It also requested the postponement of the payment of the social contribution for the first quarter of 2020 from April 15 to 30, 2020 and not to increase the burden of companies by a new tax measure.
UTICA also invited all stakeholders, including UGTT, to preserve the sustainability of the companies that constitute the essential pillars of the country, stressing the need to provide for a gradual return to work, while ensuring all health and safety conditions within companies.
It considered that the support of private-sector employees in these difficult conditions inevitably requires the support of all companies and all sectors whose sustainability is the only guarantee of a dignified life.
