Nationwide Healthcare Strike Announced in Morocco: Professionals Demand Fulfillment of Agreed-Upon Reforms

In a move that could potentially disrupt medical services across the nation, a coalition of eight trade unions representing healthcare workers in Morocco has announced a nationwide strike on the 22nd and 23rd of May. This decision comes as a response to the government's alleged disregard for the demands of healthcare professionals and its failure to implement previously agreed-upon agreements between the relevant ministry and representative unions.

Dr. Karim Belmokadem, the Secretary-General of the National Union of Public Health (FDT), articulated the gravity of the situation, stating that this collective action reflects "the magnitude of the tension prevailing in the healthcare sector and the level of dissatisfaction among professionals." He further emphasized that the coordination committee considers the failure to motivate healthcare professionals as a detriment to one of the four pillars of the sector's reform, "which represents a difficult start for the reform process."

During a press conference held on Tuesday in Rabat, Belmokadem elaborated on behalf of the coordination committee, explaining that alongside the reform of the legal framework, a sectoral dialogue process was initiated, primarily aimed at addressing material and professional demands. This dialogue initially led to a preliminary agreement signed on February 24, 2022, highlighting the need for continued discussions on remaining categorical and common demands.

The dialogue persisted until the signing of a preliminary agreement on December 29, 2023, between the Ministry of Health and representative trade unions within the sector, following meetings with a ministerial commission. This agreement reached a consensus on 14 essential points with financial implications, followed by the signing of annexed minutes detailing the demands of each category, particularly those that did not benefit from the 2022 agreement and the implementation of the remaining points concerning medical assistants.

By the end of January 2024, all minutes of agreements and union proposals were submitted to the Prime Minister's Office to determine the timelines for implementing these accords, Belmokadem noted. However, he expressed surprise at the government's "incomprehensible and unjustified silence, as well as the denial of the conclusions reached through dialogue and negotiations that required dozens of meetings and, consequently, efforts, suffering, and sacrifices from healthcare workers, considered the cornerstone of any reform in the health system."

The union representative clarified that the coordination committee demands the implementation of the December 29, 2023, agreement and the minutes signed with all sectoral unions at the end of January 2024, adhering to the specified deadlines and agreed-upon contents in their material, professional, and legal aspects.

According to Belmokadem, the agreement stipulates a general fixed salary increase of 1,500 dirhams for nursing and health technician staff, auxiliary nurses, and nurse preparers, as well as a general fixed salary increase of 1,200 net dirhams for health professionals in the categories of administrative and technical assistants, technicians, editors, transport technicians, health ambulance drivers, dental assistants, emergency assistants, managers, and engineers.

Furthermore, the terms of the agreement include improving promotion conditions by creating a new grade for all categories, organizing internal professional competitions, and adopting an optimal formula for calculating allowances, as well as addressing other demands.

Belmokadem specified that this protest action is part of a broader struggle program developed by the union coordination committee, asserting that they hold the government responsible. He warned that "if the government does not respond to the just and legitimate demands of healthcare professionals, escalation will be the only solution, with unprecedented measures of struggle."