00:00Tunisia's main union, the UGTT, has announced a nationwide strike for January 21st.
00:07It's demanding wage-increased negotiations and protesting an escalating government crackdown on critics.
00:14The walkout could cripple key public sectors and put pressure on a government already in financial difficulties.
00:22It also raises the risk of unrest amid growing public frustration with poor services.
00:29The union has played a central role in Tunisia's democratic transition from decades of dictatorship.
00:36It initially supported President Kai Saeed and his decision to shut down Parliament in 2021.
00:43But it's since pushed back against what it's called his attempt to entrench one-man rule.
00:49The union's move against the government reflects growing frustration over eroding freedoms
00:54and a crackdown on opposition leaders, journalists and civil society groups.
01:00The country is also facing a chronic cost-of-living crisis that has pushed many Tunisians to the brink.
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