The Minister of Economic Integration, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, met, separately, with all the opposition parliamentary groups (USFP, PPS, MP and PJD), as well as that he held a collective meeting with the majority groups, in addition to the Constitutional Democratic Social group, to discuss the amendments to be made to the draft organic law on the right to strike, before the deadline set in November 26, learned Hespress from informed sources.
Additional time
The opposition groups requested an additional period of 48 hours, added the same sources, noting that the government seems favorable to this request before the project is transmitted to the committee concerned, then to the plenary session, and finally in the House of Advisors.
Furthermore, the minister also sent correspondence to all unions, including the least representative, in order to collect their proposals and amendments, these entities having voted unanimously in favor of the advisory opinions of the Economic, Social and Economic Council. Environment (CESE) and the National Human Rights Council (CNDH), and this before Tuesday.
Proposed adjustments
According to our sources, the minister has already received most of the unions’ proposals. Furthermore, the amendments planned by the parliamentary groups would be broadly aligned with the recommendations of the advisory councils while including specific contributions from the groups.
These modifications relate in particular to:
– The integration of a preamble to frame the bill, emphasizing the protection of the right to strike and workers’ rights.
– The unanimous rejection of articles limiting the types of strikes, such as political, solidarity or alternating strikes, with an explicit request for the removal of these provisions.
– The reduction of the 30-day notice period required for the announcement of a strike, considered too long. The proposal aims to reduce this period to just a few days, except in cases of imminent danger requiring immediate intervention.
– Improving guarantees for strikers, while introducing measures to protect the rights of non-strikers in order to ensure freedom of work.
Discussions also focused on reducing the list of categories prohibited from striking, limiting this ban to weapon bearers, in accordance with their internal regulations and international standards.
Likewise, the parliamentary groups are calling for the abolition of the corvée regime resulting from a colonial decree of 1938, and the removal of custodial sentences from the bill on the right to strike, in favor of more appropriate sanctions.
