The Minister for Economic Integration, Small Business, Jobs and Skills, Younes Skouri, said in a speech on the occasion of Labor Day that the government will not stop at the content of the current social agreement, noting that after the improvement of international conditions, the government will move on to more measures important.
He also added that the government will pursue the program of the social state without hiding neither excluded nor marginalized. The Minister underlined that the government is working for the time being to reduce the charges imposed by exceptional circumstances, and is ensuring that measures with a tangible impact are taken to preserve the purchasing power of the citizen, in parallel with the continued implementation of implementation of the government’s program and commitments.
Among other measures, there is one that makes people talk, not to say angry, in social circles. Indeed, Younes Skouri announced that the increase in the amount of aid allocated to trade union centers will increase by 30%. This caused great controversy as it coincided with the social agreement signed between the government, unions and employers on Saturday 30 April. According to the Minister for Economic Integration, Small Business, Jobs and Skills “ the amount of support allocated to trade union federations, intervened with the aim of respecting trade union freedoms and strengthening trade union representation “in addition to this option” a review of support on the side of unionization so as to enhance the role of unions in coaching and training “.
It was enough to ignite social networks and many union activists criticized this increase in parallel with Labor Day. Government support for trade unions apparently linked to the absence of annual protest demonstrations on this first of May. On the other hand, trade union sources within the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT) and the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT) pointed out that ” the annual support was not present at all in the negotiations of the social dialogue between the employers, the trade unions and the executive “. They indicated that ” the biggest priority for the unions is to improve the conditions “of the worker“ and this has been embodied in the new agreement “, noting that” the minister’s statement concerned only him, and that there was never any question of financial support for the unions “.
In this context, Ali Lotfi, Secretary General of the Democratic Labor Organization (ODT), a trade union close to the PAM (government majority), declared: “ It is a question of priorities and the main one at the moment should be the improvement of the conditions of the fragile working classes “. Ali Lotfi added, in a statement to MoroccoLatestNews, that “ the main priority that should be given to the organization of the trade union scene is a trade union law, similar to the party law “. The spokesperson added that “ the annual budget of the trade unions must in turn be subject to the control of the High Council of Accounts “, noting that” the coincidence of this increase in financial support for unions with May Day will certainly cause social controversy “.
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