Following the collapse of wage talks with the Moroccan government, the Moroccan Workers' Union, the Democratic Workers' Organisation and the Democratic Workers' Federation called a civil service general strike on Friday (January 23rd) and again on February 10th.
Moroccan civil service workers mount general strike over wages.
Democratic Workers’ Federation chief Abderrahman Azzouzi told Magharebia that the dialogue over the past few weeks could not be taken seriously, as the unions’ proposals had been rejected.
"We want to see salaries increase in line with the price rises over recent months," he explained. "The increases announced thus far are insignificant compared with what is happening to Moroccans’ purchasing power."
Miloudi Moukharik, a Moroccan Workers’ Union official, struck a similar chord, stating that the latest increases have fallen short of their aspirations because of the high cost of living.
Workers called for an additional 20% rise in salaries. They also asked for one-off promotions and the removal of pay scales 1 to 4. The three unions also demanded a special allowance for public servants in rural or isolated areas.
As it stands, the government has no intention of increasing salaries or promoting staff internally. Mohamed Abbou's ministerial office for the modernisation of the public sector stressed that the government has made great efforts to appease workers, despite the current international economic situation. Abbou's office explained that the 1 to 4 pay scales will be progressively abolished by 2011, and will cost 350m dirhams.
One public servant, Brahim Bendou, explained, "A public servant cannot cope with the needs of everyday living, but just a few years ago we had no difficulty making ends meet."
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