Fuel Strike Looms as Drivers Rush to Fill Up Before September 23–24
According to our sources, pressure is already mounting at certain gas stations, with a noticeable surge in motorists rushing to fill up their tanks ahead of the planned action. The risk of a strike in the hydrocarbon transport sector has also been widely reported by multiple media outlets.
As the dates of September 23 and 24 approach, the National Chamber for the Transport of Dangerous Goods and the National Federation of Transport, both affiliated with UTICA (the Tunisian Union of Industry, Trade, and Handicrafts), have issued a joint statement responding to reports of a strike in the hydrocarbon transport sector.
In their communiqué, the two organizations assert that companies in the sector are fully compliant with their obligations regarding social coverage, employee registration, and occupational safety. They clarify that payment difficulties for contributions to the National Social Security Fund (CNSS) affected only two companies, and that these situations have since been regularized.
The employers’ groups also dispute the demand to reactivate the minutes of the May 2, 2019 agreement, arguing that this document has been abandoned for several years and has been superseded by the general agreement on wage increases covering the 2022–2024 period.
Furthermore, the organizations confirm that companies have implemented the wage increases scheduled for 2018–2019, 2022–2024, and those planned for 2026–2028. They note that the transport rate revisions granted by the state through the geographic adjustment mechanism have been allocated to fund wage hikes and fuel costs, though they consider these adjustments insufficient given the sector’s overall expenses.
On the legal front, the employers’ groups state that they have not received any strike notification that complies with the provisions of the Labor Code. They maintain that any work stoppage or obstruction of truck traffic would be illegal.
For September 23 and 24, oil distribution companies, hydrocarbon transporters, and gas stations have affirmed that they are fully mobilized to ensure the supply of stations and the continuity of operations.
However, according to a source close to the matter, the strike remains confirmed for September 23 and 24.
