Episodes of contention, bonds of trust: the UGTT and ‘new’ trade union activism in post-Ben Ali Tunisia

Abstract

ABSTRACT While labour unions in many places have been weakened by neoliberal policies and declining memberships, the continued importance of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) after the 2010–11 uprising is striking. Applying a strategic interactionist approach, this paper examines the UGTT's evolving role within this expanded political space, exploring how it has leveraged political openings and social crises to broaden its influence, and how Tunisia's new political landscape, marked by a surge in collective mobilization, has changed the goals and strategies of union leadership and activists. The executive branch has made the UGTT central to national governance, pressuring governments unresponsive to its demands, and positioning itself as an ever-present political actor fundamentally different from any the political parties. Meanwhile, militant unionists have enhanced horizontal cooperation, strengthened strategic interactions and engaged in joint collective action with other movements, adopting a more militant identity in support of their specific objectives.