Trade unions in Chad
There are five recognized trade union confederations in Chad as of 2021:

 Union of Trade Unions of Chad (UST; )
 Free Confederation of Chadian Workers (CLTT; )
 Confederation of Trade Unions of Chad (CST; )
 Trade Union Confederation of Workers of Chad (CSTT; )
 Independent Confederation of Trade Unions of Chad (CIST; )

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) recognizes two affiliates, Free Confederation of Chadian Workers and Union of Trade Unions of Chad. ITUC recently rejected an affiliation request from the Confederation of Trade Unions of Chad, but remains open to the Independent Confederation of Trade Unions of Chad.

The UST is seen by the UN Human Rights Committee as the most representative union in its 2013 report.

 Repression 
The ITUC ranked Chad a score of 4 on the Global Rights Index in 2024, due its frequent repression of trade union leaders including arrests, union busting and restrictions on strikes.

 History 
French trade unions maintained outposts in French Chad, before Chad was decolonized in 1960. The first president of the new state, François Tombalbaye was a trade unionist in the 1940s.

In 1964, under the one-party rule of the Chadian Progressive Party, the National Union of Chadian Workers (UNTT; ) was established by merging all existing unions (except Christian unions) and had a combined membership of 8,000 salaried workers. In 1968, remaining groups were absorbed into the re-branded confederation National Union of Workers of Chad (UNATRAT; ). By 1972 its membership increased to 12,000. Some of the membership supported the FROLINAT insurgency group, but trade union support was not influential. In 1975 strikes were made illegal and in 1976 public-sector employees were barred from joining unions (both repealed in the 1996 Constitution). 

In 1988, UNATRAT was re-launched as National Union of Unions of Chad (UNST; ) which dissolved shortly after in 1990 when President Déby rose to power. Previous members of UNST split into two directions. Dissidents formed the present day Free Confederation of Chadian Workers (CLTT; ), affiliated to the World Confederation of Labour, while loyalists to the new Déby regime staged a general strike, in order to reinstate UNST. The government agreed, as long as UNST changed its name, so its successor Union of Trade Unions of Chad (UST; ) was re-established.

 See also 

 Trade unions in Cameroon

 Notes 

 References 

 External links 

Chad