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Walaw

Economy

Cross-Border Workers Appeal to Spanish Government for Legal and Economic Support

Friday 04 - 12:45

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In a significant development, approximately 200 Moroccan cross-border workers have reached out to the Spanish government, seeking assistance in regularizing their legal status and accessing their rightful economic benefits. These individuals, who have worked in the Spanish autonomous cities of Ceuta and Melilla for many years, find themselves in a precarious situation following pandemic-related border closures and subsequent policy changes.

The Association of Halal Consumers (Acohace) has taken up the cause of these workers, representing them on humanitarian and social justice grounds. The organization has sent a plea on their behalf to both Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo.

The workers, primarily employed in domestic services, construction, and the service sector, are requesting measures to prevent administrative and labor irregularities for those still working in the autonomous cities. Specifically, they are asking for authorization to cross the border and return to the Spanish territories to renew their identification documents.

Furthermore, the appeal calls for the identification of interested parties within Spanish territory to facilitate the regularization of their documentation. This would enable them to claim economic benefits such as unemployment subsidies and pensions, which they are entitled to based on their work history in Ceuta and Melilla.

The situation has been exacerbated by the pandemic and subsequent border closures with Morocco, which left many cross-border workers jobless and unable to claim their severance pay and other due economic benefits. The reopening of borders came with modified entry requirements, including the need for a visa issued by the Spanish Consulate in Tetouan, Morocco, contingent upon having a work contract. These new conditions have made it virtually impossible for many workers to return to their previous jobs.

Acohace estimates that the number of affected individuals in Ceuta alone could reach up to a thousand. The association continues to gather data on those claiming to be adversely affected, with 200 people having already authorized the organization to represent them.

The human cost of this situation is significant. Many workers trapped in Ceuta find themselves in a legal limbo, with expired documentation and no solutions offered by the administration. This has led to a heart-wrenching dilemma for many: choosing between abandoning their only source of income or remaining in the autonomous cities in hopes of retaining their jobs and supporting their families through remittances.

As the situation unfolds, these cross-border workers and their advocates hope that the Spanish government will take active steps to find a solution that provides legal protection and ensures the dignity and rights of these long-term contributors to the Spanish economy.