The Union of Wilaya of the General Union of Algerian Workers (UGTA) has launched a call for a general strike and a protest march in Tizi Ouzou on May 22. The strike and march are aimed at all workers in the Tizi Ouzou wilaya. The march is set to start at 11 am from the intersection of the November 1st stadium. This move is part of a larger protest against the current national leadership of the UGTA.
The UGTA union in Tizi Ouzou has also called for a gathering of protest in front of the UGTA headquarters in Algiers on June 12. The gathering, scheduled to start at 9 am, aims to demand the immediate departure of the current national leadership of the union, led by Abdelmadjid Sidi-Said. This call for action comes after a decision was taken by the UGTA and Sidi-Said against Bachir Ramdani, the head of UGTA in Tizi Ouzou.
On May 9, the UGTA secretary-general signed a decision suspending Bachir Ramdani from all union activities until he appears before the national disciplinary commission. Two other members of the national executive commission, Abdelaziz Hamlaoui and Abderrahmane Rebahi, were also suspended. These actions were taken following a meeting held on May 14 by the UGTA's wilaya council, which brought together union cadres from various administrative sectors and economic activities.
During the meeting, attendees reiterated their finding that the current national leadership of the UGTA is illegitimate. They recalled that on May 1, International Workers' Day, the leadership, led by Sidi-Said, had barricaded themselves in the national headquarters, protected by a significant security presence. The UGTA in Tizi Ouzou questioned the credibility of this leadership and their claim to representativeness.
The UGTA in Tizi Ouzou accused the current national leadership of planning and organizing an anti-statutory congress aimed at maintaining their hold on the union. They also accused the leadership of having long abandoned social struggles and serving as a crutch for a decadent system. The union denounced the intimidation and administrative harassment faced by some union cadres from members occupying the national secretariat.
The calls for protest actions come as tensions rise within the UGTA. The union in Tizi Ouzou is demanding change and criticizing the current leadership. The situation reflects broader issues within the Algerian labor movement and the challenges faced by workers in the country.
The general strike and protest march in Tizi Ouzou are set to take place on May 22, with a gathering in Algiers planned for June 12. The UGTA in Tizi Ouzou remains firm in its demands for the departure of the current national leadership and for changes within the union.
Key points
- The UGTA union in Tizi Ouzou has called for a general strike and protest march on May 22.
- The current national leadership of the UGTA, led by Abdelmadjid Sidi-Said, is facing criticism and opposition from the union in Tizi Ouzou.
- The UGTA in Tizi Ouzou is demanding the immediate departure of the current national leadership and changes within the union.
