During the plenary session of the House of Representatives on Monday 1is December 2024, Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, presented the main changes to the bill on the right to strike. In particular, he announced the removal of bans on certain forms of strikes, the repeal of criminal sanctions and the adjustment of the notice period.
During the plenary session of the House of Representatives, the Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, Younes Sekkouri, responded to an oral question regarding the draft law on the right strike. On this occasion, he presented the broad outlines of the amendments that will be made to the initial version of the text, in the light of consultations carried out with the various political and social actors.
The minister announced that he had received a total of 334 amendments, stressing that the government is willing to examine and respond positively to the proposals of the parliamentary groups. He specified that these amendments would be integrated in such a way as to strengthen the balance of the bill while respecting the fundamental principles of the right to strike.
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Younes Sekkouri also insisted on the fact that this bill must above all meet the expectations of young people, regardless of their political or union affiliation. According to him, it is important that the legislation takes into account their aspirations while guaranteeing workers’ rights. “The government supports this approach and we will defend it », he declared, insisting on the need to adopt a legislative text which protects trade union freedoms and promotes an environment of social dialogue.
The minister revealed that, following consultations with unions and parliamentary groups, several important amendments were adopted. Among the most significant, he mentioned the lifting of bans on certain forms of strikes, notably political strikes, alternating strikes and solidarity strikes. These types of strikes were previously prohibited by the initial text, but the government decided to authorize them in order to guarantee workers’ freedom of action and allow the expression of their demands.
Regarding the repressive dimension of the 2016 bill, which had sparked strong criticism, Younes Sekkouri announced that criminal sanctions would be repealed, provided that strikes take place in a peaceful framework. This decision aims to avoid the use of coercive measures that could curb the legitimate exercise of the right to strike, while preserving public order.
The minister also raised the issue of the strike notice period, which, in the initial version, was 30 days, a period considered excessive. He explained that this deadline would now be readjusted to a “reasonable and logical deadline”, taking into account social and economic emergencies. He stressed that in certain situations it is unacceptable to ask workers to wait a month to claim their rights.
Finally, Younes Sekkouri clarified that the proposed amendments are in line with the recommendations of the Economic, Social and Environmental Council, widely supported by the unions, as well as those of the National Human Rights Council. He also recalled the importance of protecting law-abiding businesses, in order to ensure the continuity of their activity, particularly in essential sectors. “ We have the necessary conditions to succeed in this reform, both in terms of good citizenship and respect for the law. », he concluded, being optimistic about the success of this reform which, according to him, could serve as a model for other social reforms to come.
