Morocco marks May Day
Morocco, Politics, 5/2/2001

The Moroccan labor celebrated Tuesday the International Workers Day marked on May 1 and organized on the occasion marches throughout the country to renew their resolve to remain mobilized to win their battle for better working and living conditions.

All Moroccan trade unions held rallies to expound their claims and grievances and make proposals to improve the workers' living standards.

The leaders of all the trade unions renewed the labor class mobilization to defend the country's territorial integrity and liberate the Moroccan northern cities that are still under Spanish rule. They also renewed the workers' backing to the Palestinian people that are subject to repression, exaction and economic blockade imposed by Israel and hailed their heroic resistance.

Secretary general of the Union Marocaine du Travail (UMT), Mahjoub Benseddik, deplored in a speech that the workers' day be marked this year at a moment Moroccan workers' discontent is increasing in view of violations and attempts to unionist freedom and pointed out that Moroccan workers' wages do not shield them against poverty.

Some 40 percent of the wage-earners of the private sector earn less than the minimum guaranteed wage and retirement pensions in the sector have been stagnating for 6 years, Benseddik said.

After he criticized as "unacceptable" the government policy in addressing the unemployment problem, the UMT secretary general called for the creation of social courts that will see to the respect of unionist freedom and play an arbitration role in work conflicts.

The Leader of the Union Generale des Travailleurs du Maroc (UGTM), Abderrazak Afilal, on his part renewed the call, before a rally organized by his trade union, to stage a general strike in the public and semi-public sectors to protest, he said "the lack of earnestness" in the government's action.

He insisted that the UGTM remains attached to coordination with the Confederation Democratique du Travail (CDT) and said the unity of the labor class is one of the fundamental claims and aspirations of the workers.

Afilal stated further that in order to promote the country's economic development it was necessary to compel high salary earners to save part of their income, to alleviate taxes and decrease oil price to reduce production costs and to promote industrial zones while fighting speculations.

Secretary general of the Istiqlal party, Abbas El Fassi, who was attending the UGTM rally, said all the UGTM claims were legitimate. Touching on the high unemployment rate, he said unemployment affects 23 percent of the active population and 220,000 high degree holders are unemployed. He said that without democratization, things cannot change and that democracy and sound elections would enable to stage "the grand jihad."

Secretary General of the CDT, Noubir Amaoui, said in an address at a rally organized by his trade union that Moroccan workers must form a force to face attempts targeting the Moroccan people's gains and rights and the country's richness and must ponder on "a societal vision" enabling the country to preserve its independence in decision-making at all scales.

Tomorrow's battle will be fiercer in view of "savage liberalism and globalization," he said, before deploring the "economic stagnation" that he ascribed to "the hegemony of secure income and privileges," "lack of audacious investment," and "the granting of facilities and presents to employers."

Secretary General of the Union Democratique des Travailleurs (UDT), Akka Ghazi, stressed at a rally the need to elaborate a labor code protecting workers and encouraging investments. He said you cannot speak of economic growth at a time half the labor class is living below average living standards. He added that the alternation government is endeavoring to pass "false agreements" that do not serve the workers' interests.

The leader of Commissions Ouvrieres Marocaines (COM), Abdelmajid Douieb, on his part pleaded in his address on the need to promote employment and secure employment stability, to set up enterprise committees, to permanently review the salaries to adapt them to the living costs and to grant utmost importance to the rural world.

Secretary general of the Union Nationale du Travail Au Maroc (UNTM), Abdeslam Maati, called for measures to promote enterprises and consequently contribute to economic growth. He also stressed the importance of employer-employee dialogue to avert protest movements.

Previous Stories:
  Youssoufi, Re-elected First Secretary of USFP   (4/30/2001)
  Morocco rejects any bargaining policy in its relations with Spain   (4/30/2001)
  Youssoufi calls for Arab union   (4/28/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search