Moroccan opposition parties and labor unions sharply criticized a government-backed billregulating the right to strike, accusing the administration of bypassing social dialogue and rushing the legislation through parliament.
During a plenary session in the House of Councillors on Monday, opposition leaders claimed that Organizational Law No. 97.15 contains serious legal and structural flaws, while union representatives denounced it as an assault on workers’ rights.
Youssef Aidi, head of the Socialist Group – Federal Opposition, argued that the bill’s narrow definition of the right to strike excludes workers in informal sectors, contradicting international labor standards. He also raised concerns over overlapping penalty clauses and called for stronger trade unions to counterbalance restrictive labor policies.
Fatima Zakag, a parliamentary representative of the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT), labeled the bill as “repressive,” warning that it favors corporate interests over workers’ rights. She cautioned that pushing such laws without broad social consensus could fuel unrest, particularly amid rising inflation and unemployment.
Meanwhile, Khalid Souti of the National Union of Labor in Morocco (UNTM) accused the government of manipulating legislative procedures by introducing last-minute amendments to avoid parliamentary scrutiny. He warned that weakening unions could destabilize labor relations, calling for a more inclusive debate on the future of workers’ rights.
The bill, already approved by the House of Representatives, is set to return to the lower chamber for a final vote before becoming law. However, with unions threatening nationwide strikes, the debate over Morocco’s labor rights is far from over.
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