Union Calls for Immediate Action Against Unjust Dismissals
The National Union of Private Security, Cleaning, and Cooking Personnel, affiliated with the Democratic Confederation of Labor, has reached out to the Minister of Economic Integration, Small Enterprises, Employment, and Skills to demand urgent intervention regarding the unjust dismissals faced by numerous private security personnel working in public hospitals in the Fes-Meknes region. This appeal comes as a response to a directive issued by the Ministry of Health and Social Protection, which introduced new requirements for educational qualifications that retroactively affect employees who have dedicated many years to their roles. The union describes this situation as a form of "arbitrary dismissal," highlighting that the retroactive application of these educational standards undermines both professional integration goals and the social stability of affected families.
The letter, which has been made available to the public, emphasizes that the treatment of these workers contradicts the objectives aimed at professional inclusion and social stability, instead perpetuating exclusion and vulnerabilities by transforming an administrative requirement into a tool that strips hundreds of families of their primary source of income. The source further asserts that applying educational qualifications retroactively has led to the exclusion of workers who have proven their competence over the years. This practice is viewed as a violation of occupational safety principles and an infringement on acquired rights, representing a regression from the social justice commitments made by the government. The union warns that such measures threaten social peace and could exacerbate tensions in a sector already grappling with "vulnerability and exploitation."
Demands for Investigation and Reinstatement
In light of these developments, the union has called on the minister responsible for the employment sector to take immediate and responsible action to halt this mass dismissal. They urge that an investigation into the circumstances surrounding these actions be initiated and that coordination with the Ministry of Health and Social Protection be established to reinstate all dismissed guards and safeguard their rights and dignity, in accordance with constitutional provisions, labor laws, and royal directives advocating for the establishment of a social state and the protection of labor groups.
In comments to Hespress, Lubna Najib, the General Secretary of the National Union of Private Security, Cleaning, and Cooking Personnel, clarified that the union does not oppose the new qualifications mandated by the Ministry of Health for hospital security personnel, which include a requirement for completion of the third year of junior high school. However, she pointed out that the core issue lies in the retroactive enforcement of this rule, affecting guards who have been in service for years when it should have only applied to new hires.
Najib further noted that among those dismissed are individuals who have dedicated up to 20 years to their profession, raising concerns about the fate of this group, especially in the Fes-Meknes region and the areas of Sala and Sidi Yahya al-Gharb. Despite the union's correspondence with the Ministry of Health, there has been no notable progress on the issue.
She highlighted that the dismissal decision will exacerbate the hardships faced by many families, with approximately 90 guards affected, distributed across Sala, Fes-Meknes, and Sidi Yahya al-Gharb. The General Secretary concluded that the Ministry of Employment's office has reached out to the union to ascertain the total number of affected individuals, emphasizing that if a resolution is not reached within the week, the union will resort to protests outside the regional health delegation in Fes-Meknes and subsequently at the central headquarters of the Ministry of Health and Social Protection.
As reported by hespress.com.
