Tunisia: New Unions

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Indian railway wor a mass meeting The continuing struggles within Tunisia are developing a more and more openly political character.

The temporary freezingover of the giant strike wave has not ended the threat to the security of the Bonapartist regime.

Prime Minister Nouira has used this breathing space for urgent consultations with Giscard and Barre in France. But the same period has seen the growing possibility of a split between the UGT (the only legal trade union) and the PSD (Destour Socialist Party) which rules the one-party state.

Nationalist

Party and union were built together in the period of French colonial rule, and the PSD has remained in power since independence.

Bourguiba's party is a petty bourgeois nationalist formation; its strategy has been to stimulate 'economic development' by keeping the working class firmly in check, while introducing limited state nationalisation and encouraging imperialist investment.

Included in this policy has been the tying of the UGT to the organisation of the PSD with close links at every level, and union officers being automatically members. of party committees The main strength ol the union's ½ million membership lies in the mining and railway sectors, where the recent militancy has been most forcefully expressed.

But the demands for higher wages and improved conditions have spread to every section, and have inevitably brought forward political demands.

Last January the 'social pact was jointly negotiated by union, employers and As the basis of the new 5 year plan, this set down a minimum wage for all workers, but centrally fixed and annual review of all wage claims every April.

Opposition

The strikes of the last two months have been in opposition to this government wage control, and the leadership of the UGT has been forced to Hahih Bourgui Hedi Novin take steps back from adrasood stage of di colaboratica and build an independe labour party have met with growing response.

Faced with this alarmi situation, the unior National Council has issued statement. full of sociali sound and anti-imperiali fury, but signifying only ti resignation of. Gener Secretary Habib Achour fro the political bureau ar Central Committee of t PSD.

Determination His resignation will 1 followed by others, but litt other activity will be seen: these bureaucrats besid their determination 1 prevent the full politic development of the prese struggles.

Achour and his like a still declaring that the UG has no political aims, thi they don't wish to remor Nouira from power, and thi they are not opposed 1 capitalism-so long as it "col tributes to the developmer