Union Takes Action Against Unjust Dismissals in Moroccan Hospitals
The National Union of Private Security, Cleaning, and Cooking Workers, affiliated with the Democratic Confederation of Labor, has formally reached out to the Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment, and Skills. Their urgent request is for immediate intervention regarding the alleged arbitrary dismissals faced by several private security personnel employed in public hospitals across the Fes-Meknes region. This situation arises following a decision from the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which introduced new contractual stipulations requiring a certain educational level, applied retroactively to workers who have dedicated years to their roles, demonstrating their professional competence.
The union's letter, which has been reviewed by Hespress, emphasizes that the circumstances surrounding these dismissals contradict the objectives of professional integration and social stability. It highlights that such measures foster exclusion and precariousness, transforming an administrative requirement into a mechanism that jeopardizes the livelihood of hundreds of families. The union asserts that the retroactive implementation of educational requirements has led to the exclusion of workers who have proven their on-the-job capabilities over many years. This practice is perceived as a violation of professional security principles, an infringement on acquired rights, and a regression from the social justice commitments made by the government, which could incite further unrest in a sector already plagued by vulnerability and exploitation.
Demands for Immediate Action and Investigation
The union is calling on the minister responsible for employment to act promptly and responsibly to halt these mass dismissals and to open an investigation into the circumstances surrounding them. They urge coordination with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection to reinstate all dismissed security personnel to their positions, thereby safeguarding their rights and dignity in alignment with constitutional provisions, labor laws, and royal directives aimed at establishing a social state and protecting the working population.
In a related statement, Lubna Najib, the union's general secretary, clarified that while the union does not oppose the new criteria established by the Ministry of Health concerning hospital security personnel—such as the requirement to possess a certificate from the third year of secondary education—the real issue lies in the retroactive application of this policy. This decision has unexpectedly affected guards who were already employed, in contrast to what should have been a focus on new recruits only.
Najib pointed out that among those dismissed are individuals with up to 20 years of experience in the field, raising concerns about the fate of these workers, particularly in regions such as Fes-Meknes, Salé, and Sidi Yahya El Gharb. The union has reached out to the Ministry of Health but has yet to see any significant progress on the matter. As of now, approximately 90 guards have reportedly been dismissed, with their positions spread across Salé, Fes-Meknes, and Sidi Yahya El Gharb, according to the union’s findings so far.
Najib concluded that the Ministry of Employment has been in contact with the union to ascertain the total number of affected individuals. She stressed that a lack of resolution within the week would compel the union to stage protests at the regional health delegation in Fes-Meknes, followed by demonstrations at the central headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
As reported by hespress.com.
