Health workers announce protests against Draft Finance Law 2025

The National Health Union, part of the Moroccan Labour Union, announced plans for a series of protests and a nationwide strike in protest against the draft Finance Law for 2025 which health workers say betrays recent commitments made by the government, particularly by failing to reaffirm the centrality of wages and the status of public employees as previously agreed.

In a statement, the union noted that, given the serious developments affecting the sector—particularly the threats to the centralization of salaries for workers in the decentralized services of the Ministry of Health, with the potential transfer of these functions to territorial health groups—there has been a significant regression in the rights and gains of workers across all sectors. As a result, various forms of protest have been decided.

The health union called for a partial work stoppage on Wednesday, October 23, for one hour from 11 AM to 12 PM in front of or at work sites, encouraging members to wear protest badges and continue to do so, along with signing petitions to collectively express their rejection of any attacks on the rights and gains of health workers.

The union also announced a nationwide strike in the health sector on Wednesday, October 30, with the exception of emergency and intensive care departments. There will be shared responsibilities in necessary medical services to ensure ongoing care, alongside regional protests and partial sit-ins in front of regional health directorates.

The union called for amendments to the law establishing territorial health groups and the law concerning the health profession, the withdrawal of decrees unilaterally passed in the government council on July 11, and for balanced representation of all health workers in the administrative councils of territorial health groups, as well as in the Moroccan Agency for Medicines and Health Products and the Moroccan Blood and Blood Products Agency.