Social Dialogue: The Akhannouch Government Achieves Major Advances for Workers and Strengthens Its Social Commitment

April Social Dialogue Session Kicks Off in Rabat

The April session of social dialogue was launched on Tuesday in Rabat under the presidency of the Head of Government, Mr. Aziz Akhannouch, according to an official statement from his office. This meeting was attended by several government members, including Ms. Nadia Fettah, Minister of Economy and Finance, as well as delegated ministers Fouzi Lekjaa, Mustapha Baitas, Amal El Fellah Seghrouchni, and Minister Younes Sekkouri.

Mr. Akhannouch led a series of separate meetings with key trade unions and the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM). These discussions brought together representatives from the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT), the General Confederation of Workers of Morocco (UGTM), the Democratic Labor Confederation (CDT), and the CGEM.

In an atmosphere characterized by responsible and constructive dialogue, the parties commended the government for honoring its previous commitments, particularly those stemming from the April 2024 agreement. This accord facilitated the implementation of several key measures, including a general salary increase of 1,000 dirhams net in the public sector, to be disbursed in two installments, with the second scheduled for July. A reduction in income tax (IR) of up to 400 dirhams for middle-income earners was also established.

The agreement also includes a 10% increase in the minimum wage, applicable in both the industrial, commercial, and liberal sectors (SMIG) as well as in the agricultural sector (SMAG).

Discussions also focused on ongoing social commitments, the challenges of negotiating collective agreements, and addressing specific issues related to certain professional categories. The handling of matters related to local authorities was also added to the agenda, aiming to find concrete and rapid solutions.

The session reaffirmed the participatory approach adopted by the government since the beginning of its term, particularly in structural reforms such as pension system reforms. In this context, the methodology for implementing this reform was discussed, relying on the principles of the agreement signed in April 2022 and revitalizing the national commission dedicated to this project.

Finally, other significant issues were raised, such as amending the Labor Code, responding to the expectations of both trade unions and employers.

Mr. Akhannouch concluded these discussions by praising the quality of the partnership between the government and its social and economic stakeholders, which he views as consistent and not merely circumstantial. He emphasized that this dynamic aligns with the royal will to make social dialogue a strategic lever of the social state, with the aim of improving worker conditions and bolstering the competitiveness of the national economy.

He also reminded attendees that in just two and a half years of his mandate, the government has managed to seal two major social agreements, demonstrating its determination to make social dialogue a cornerstone of its efforts to enhance purchasing power and foster social cohesion.