Now that back-to-school season is behind them, Algerians are shifting their focus on ratcheting up pressure on their government. Eight months after the anti-regime Hirak movement began, labor unions have decided to take part to the rebellion, promising an extremely difficult November for the government headed by military chief General Gaid Salah. The intersection of anti-regime movement and labor unions could be a dangerous cocktail for the regime to swallow. If the half of the regime tied to the Bouteflika era has fallen due to the Hirak, the other half still in power using force will find it harder to withstand a progressive escalation of strikes. This could end up in a nationwide strike that would grind the country to a halt, if no change takes place in governance. So what to expect now?….[premium access]
