Health unions step up strikes and toughen stance after authorities' resistance

The National Coordination of Health Sector Unions is taking a tougher stance following the dispersal by the forces of law and order of the march planned for Wednesday July 10 in Rabat, from Bab El Had to the Parliament building, and has announced a series of weekly strikes lasting five days instead of three.

The tug-of-war between the health sector unions and the government takes a new turn.

In the same press release, the coordination blames this escalation on the Head of Government, who has disregarded the agreement signed with the unions, and calls on him to implement all the points contained in this agreement, whether of a material or regulatory nature.

It should be noted that the health professionals are demanding, as a matter of priority, that the status of civil servant be maintained, as well as the preservation and reinforcement of the rights and guarantees deriving therefrom. In financial terms, they are demanding:

– a general fixed salary increase of DH1,500 for managers in the categories of nurses and health technicians, orderlies and nursing assistants;
– a general lump-sum increase of DH1,200 for healthcare professionals in the categories of administrative assistants, technical assistants, technicians, editors, transport and emergency care technicians, dental assistants and orderlies, administrators and engineers;
– improved promotion conditions, with the creation of a new grade for all categories, and the introduction of internal professional competitions;
– the adoption of an optimal formula for calculating on-call, duty and continuous service allowances for all categories concerned;
– the payment of a special allowance for work in health programs to all health professionals involved in these programs;
– the granting of additional years to certain categories of managerial staff in the nursing and health technician categories, as well as exceptional promotion for orderlies and nurses in the health technician category.