Revitalizing Role of Collective Bargaining Council, A Shared Responsibility - Minister

Revitalizing the role of the Collective Bargaining Council is a shared responsibility between public authorities and social partners, said Tuesday in Rabat, Minister of Labor and Professional Integration Mohamed Amekraz.

Speaking at the 11th session of the Collective Bargaining Council, Amekraz stressed that the revitalization of the role of this institution and of other consultative bodies should not be left to a single party. It is rather “the responsibility of all of us, as public authorities and social partners,” he explained.

According to the minister, improving the performance of these institutions should be based on the principle of governance by complying with the provisions of the new decree identifying the members of the Collective Bargaining Council, the manner in which they are appointed and the functioning of the institution.

During this meeting, held both in person and through video-conference, the minister highlighted the importance of the Council and of tripartite bodies as a framework for thematic dialogue.

This meeting, organized by the Ministry of Labor, aims to discuss the items on the agenda, particularly following the publication of Decree No. 2.19.455 of January 30, 2020, identifying the members of the Collective Bargaining Council, the manner in which they are appointed and the functioning of the Council.

Collective bargaining is of great importance not only because it is a voluntary mechanism for dealing with various social, professional and management issues, but also because it reflects an advanced level of social dialogue and the effective participation of the social stakeholders in the management of labor relations, Amekraz said.

This meeting, held under the provisions of the Labor Code to ensure the implementation of the Ministry’s action plan for the year 2020, touched on the balance of collective bargaining initiatives for the year 2019 and the 9 months of 2020 in addition to the role of collective bargaining and conventional labor law during unforeseen crises.

This Council is an institutional framework for thematic social dialogue aiming to present proposals on collective bargaining promotion, and encourage the conclusion of collective labor agreements, particularly within companies of over two hundred employees.