Moroccan unions have called for a national strike on Wednesday and Thursday in protest against “increasing prices and the deterioration of purchasing power” and in opposition to a new law related to strikes, which they described as “restrictive.”
According to Reuters, the strike was called by the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT) in both the public and private sectors, with support from the National Union of Labor in Morocco, the Democratic Confederation of Labor, the Democratic Labor Organization, and the Federation of Democratic Unions.
The Secretary-General of the Moroccan Labor Union, Miloudi Moukharik, told the agency: “The call for a national general strike includes the public administration, public institutions, local communities, the private sector in industry, services, and agriculture… as well as a call for traders and artisans to join this strike in protest against the irresponsible government behaviour toward the working class, the trade union movement, and the general popular classes.”
He added, “Every day we wake up to price increases, and the government stands by watching, giving the green light to speculators, those with interests, those with influence, and the wealthy at the expense of the Moroccan people.” Moukharik furthermore described the new strike law as a “restrictive, regressive law that contradicts the constitution and undermines a human right, the right to protest.”
On Monday, the second chamber of the Moroccan Parliament (Council of Advisors) passed the controversial strike law, which the opposition and trade unions described as “regressive,” while the government considered it democratic.
Unions and organizations have issued statements saying that the government depended on its majority in the House of Representatives to pass the bill and that the law should be a subject of consensus among all social parties through wide and genuine consultations. The Moroccan Labor Union issued a statement saying, “The government insists on undermining the purchasing power of various working-class groups and the general public by continuing the sharp rise in prices of food, essential goods, and services.”
Unemployment in Morocco rose to 13.3% in 2024 from 13% in 2023, as the agricultural sector continued to lose jobs due to successive years of drought. The government has promised to spend 1.4 billion dollars to enhance job opportunities by supporting small and medium-sized enterprises.
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