Sekkouri expands consultations in search of compromise

Faced with the major challenge of reforming the right to strike, Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills, is committed to writing a new page in social history. Through an open dialogue with social partners, he promises a “respectable and honorable” law, capable of responding to the aspirations of Moroccans while being part of a collective and visionary approach. Between in-depth consultations and strategic reflection, this reform aims to guarantee an unprecedented balance between the preservation of historic rights and the demands of a changing future. Sekkouri recently announced the decision to expand consultations regarding the draft organic law relating to the right to strike. This initiative consists of a second round of discussions with unions, scheduled to begin this Friday. This approach comes after the meeting held within the Committee on Education, Cultural and Social Affairs of the House of Councilors.

The president of this commission, Abderrahman Drissi, affirmed that the detailed discussion of the organic bill relating to the right to strike will take place as planned this Thursday, despite requests for postponement from four parliamentary groups. The four groups, namely the Haraki group, the socialist group of the federal opposition, the Democratic Confederation of Labor and the National Union of Labor in Morocco, sent a joint correspondence to the president of the committee to request additional time to to study this project in depth, considered crucial by unions and parliamentarians.

During the study day organized by the commission, Abderrahman Drissi recalled that, although the detailed discussion will be maintained, a second phase of consultations with the unions will begin on Friday, to allow the debate to be nourished with more perspectives. Minister Sekkouri, for his part, met the signatories of the correspondence calling for the postponement and agreed to resume negotiations with the unions from Friday, while maintaining the discussion scheduled for the next day.

It should be noted that this organic bill No. 97.15 aims to define the conditions and modalities for exercising the right to strike. Minister Sekkouri stressed that this text is still in the modification phase, indicating that it “will undergo additional adjustments” in the House of Councilors. According to him, although the text was discussed and amended in the House of Representatives, it remains “incomplete” and still requires revisions before being considered final.

The draft law in question, which governs the right to strike, has sparked heated discussions, particularly because of its direct impact on workers, unions and employers. Unions have expressed concerns about certain formulations of the text, which they consider insufficient to truly protect workers’ rights while ensuring an effective social dialogue framework.

In response to the unions’ concerns, Younes Sekkouri assured that the government’s desire is to achieve a law that “serves the working class” and takes into account the interests of the various stakeholders. He mentioned negotiations with unions as an essential step to reach consensus. The minister also insisted on the importance of producing a “respectful” and “honorable” law, stressing that the objective is to achieve a balance between social requirements and economic imperatives.

Additional negotiations with the unions will take place in parallel with the presentation of the bill before the committee of the House of Councilors. The objective is to finalize the proposals, taking into account the various feedback from the unions, which play a key role in the final formulation of the text.

During this meeting, Sekkouri also addressed the importance of this law in a broader context, stressing that the right to strike must be governed by a balanced text, in line with the social and economic realities of modern Morocco. He said the law must reflect historical developments in the right to strike, while taking into account current challenges to social dialogue and public policies.

For Sekkouri, creating a comprehensive and effective law requires close cooperation between politicians, unions, employers and public officials. According to him, the bill must integrate the diverse perspectives of these actors to reach a consensus. He specified that the main challenge remains to ensure that this law “encourages negotiation and conflict resolution”, rather than creating a restrictive framework or source of tensions.

Finally, the minister insists that this bill is not simply a technical regulation, but that it has considerable symbolic importance. The right to strike, anchored in historical struggles for independence and democracy, is presented as a precious asset that must be protected. However, this preservation must not be to the detriment of the country’s development. It is therefore crucial to balance workers’ rights to strike with economic and national development needs. This bill aims to establish this happy medium.

The legislative process thus promises to be a decisive step for the future of social dialogue in Morocco. It could redefine relations between government, employers and workers, placing consultation and balance at the heart of national concerns.