UNI Global Union has voiced its strong objection to the actions of French company Armatis, which has reportedly blocked five newly elected union representatives from entering its Tunisia premises. This move occurred shortly after the establishment of a new union committee in collaboration with the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT).
Workers at Armatis Tunisia, where more than 650 individuals are employed across two call centers, formed their union on April 7. The following day, the elected union members found themselves barred from entering the workplace. Their images had been placed at security posts, instructing guards to prevent them from entering, without any prior notice or clarification.
UNI Global Union’s General Secretary, Christy Hoffman, criticized the company, stating, “This is a deliberate and disgraceful attempt to crush a democratic union from the moment it was born.” Hoffman emphasized that such actions are against Tunisian law and expressed that similar occurrences would not be accepted in France. She added, “We demand that the five union leaders are returned to work and a commitment from Armatis to respect workers’ rights from now on.”
Following this incident, the affected workers contacted the Tunisian labour inspectorate to arrange an official meeting and were accompanied by a solicitor to document the denial of access.
Armatis Tunisia specializes in providing outsourced French language customer service for various international clients. As a significant French corporation, it is bound by the duty of vigilance law, which obligates it to prevent human rights violations. It is also expected to comply with international standards on workers’ rights, as outlined in the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.
UNI Global Union has affirmed its complete support for the workers and the UGTT union in their efforts to address this situation.
