New Security Requirements Spark Unrest Among Healthcare Workers
The introduction of new stipulations in the security contract documents for healthcare facilities in the Fes-Meknes region has ignited social tensions. A significant number of security guards and cleaning staff have found themselves displaced from their long-held positions due to the failure to meet the newly established qualifications mandated by the regional health and social protection directorate. The turmoil began following the announcement of the results from the security contracts for health institutions in the region, compelling the newly awarded companies to restructure their teams by hiring new personnel. This was necessitated by the inability to retain several former employees who did not fulfill the criteria laid out in the contract specifications.
The new requirements state that candidates must possess a specific educational qualification, which includes either a high school diploma or a completion certificate for the third year of middle school, accompanied by a vocational training diploma. According to union sources, a significant number of security guards who have dedicated years of service within healthcare institutions do not possess these qualifications. Consequently, they have been excluded from consideration by the companies awarded the new contracts, despite their extensive professional experience and hands-on knowledge in securing healthcare facilities and managing various daily situations.
Calls for Reevaluation of Employment Criteria
Those affected have expressed their dissatisfaction with these new conditions, arguing that the reliance on educational qualifications as the primary integration criterion undermines the value of their experience and practical expertise gained over the years. They assert that their long tenure in the hospitals has equipped them with a nuanced understanding of the specific demands of working in healthcare settings. This situation has unfolded following the regional health and social protection directorate's announcement regarding the results of the security contracts, which were divided into three segments according to the new classification of health areas.
The first segment pertains to the Meknes area, encompassing the Meknes province as well as the regions of Hajeb and Ifrane. The second segment involves Fes, which includes the Fes province and the regions of Sefrou, Moulay Yacoub, Taounate, and Boulemane, while the third segment is allocated for the Taza area. The plight of these workers remains unresolved amidst union demands for a reassessment of certain contract specifications, aimed at balancing the requirements for quality and efficiency with the need to protect the rights of workers who have accumulated years of service within healthcare facilities.
As reported by marrakechpost.com.
