Taher Al-Barbari, Deputy Secretary-General of the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT), remarked today on the content of a leaked phone call with Noureddine Taboubi. In the call, Taboubi reportedly referred to several union members from the Sfax region as a “mafia.”
During his participation in a symposium for private sector leaders at the UGTT’s regional headquarters in Sousse, Al-Barbari criticized the Secretary-General’s remarks, saying that such language negatively impacts union cadres and structures. He admitted that the union has experienced periods of conflict and instability but stressed that it has always managed to find solutions to preserve the organization’s integrity.
Al-Barbari described the leak as a “slip-up” and highlighted that no Secretary-General has the right to make such errors, given their role as the union’s primary leader.
Speaking to union members at the symposium, Al-Barbari voiced that the current crisis within the union is a sign of progress, as it shows that individuals are willing to challenge the status quo. He added that the presence of an executive bureau with members who dare to oppose reflects hope for the union’s future.
He also criticized past practices, stating that union members’ silence had contributed to turning Secretaries-General, including Al-Sahbani, into dictators. He concluded by affirming that such silence would no longer be tolerated.
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