Tunisair workers to strike on Friday, union says

Tunisair workers will strike on Friday to protest the lack of a reform plan by the company and over the freezing of company accounts by an airport operator, their labour union said on Thursday. The strike is expected to affect flights, the Tunisair syndicate official for the country’s main UGTT labour union Elyess Ben Miled said by phone. Tunisair officials reached by Reuters declined to comment. The Tunisian government, the union and foreign lenders have urged reforms at state-owned Tunisair. The airline has a higher proportion of staff to planes than almost any other aviation company and requires expansive state subsidy. The UGTT, Tunisia’s most powerful organisation with more than a million members, opposes any reform plan that would involve privatising the company but says it wants reforms to make it more profitable. It has said it is open to reducing the workforce.<br/>