TUNIS — Tunisia’s powerful labor union, known as the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), announced Jan. 19 its plan to hold a general strike on Feb. 20-21 if they did not reach an agreement with Prime Minister Youssef Chahed’s government on a salary increase for public servants.

The UGTT’s announcement foretells an escalating crisis with the Tunisian government, especially since a February strike would be the second one to be held by the union since the start of this year.

On Jan. 17, more than 670,000 government workers held a nationwide strike in light of the salary crisis. The strike, which was seen as successful, has disrupted the airport, transport sector and other public facilities like schools and banks.

Secretary-General of UGTT Nourredine Taboubi had said during the Regional Staff Symposium (a meeting for the UGTT representatives across the country’s governorates) Dec. 27 that the month of January would witness major developments, stressing that the union will carry out its warning of a general strike on Jan. 17. The warning was made on Nov. 24 to demand increases in wages for the public sector employees.