Tunisia raises minimum wage

Tunisia raised the minimum wage for industrial and farm workers as well as pensions for hundreds of thousands of private-sector retirees by 6.5 percent on Wednesday in a move to defuse discontent over economic hardships.

A government statement said Prime Minister Youssef Chahed had approved a rise in the monthly minimum wage for industrial and agricultural workers of 6.5 percent to 403 dinars. A 6.5 percent rise in pensions for 700,000 retirees in the private sector was also approved.

Chahed’s decision came in the face of pressure from  continuous protests in Tunisia because of the stagnant economy and pressure from Tunisia’s foreign creditors for a freeze in wages in the public sector, which includes some industrial workers, to reduce its large budget deficit.

Via Reuters