This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
This article was automatically translated from HIBAPRESS, the Arabic version:
Heba Press-Abdel Latif Baraka
Today, Monday November 25, 2024, the town of Boucre, capital of the Chtouka-Ait Baha province, was the scene of a large demonstration in which dozens of agricultural workers, men and women, participated. They gathered in front of the town hall to denounce what they described as injustice and marginalization from which they suffer in the agricultural fields, demanding the improvement of their social and professional conditions in a sector considered one pillars of the national economy. .
Workers’ demands: improve wages and guarantee fundamental rights
The protesters raised slogans demanding the provision of a decent working environment and recognition of their legal rights, including improved salaries, which they described as meager compared to the great efforts they are making. Many of them receive a salary that does not exceed 80 dirhams for a working day of more than 8 hours, which is not enough to cover daily living expenses given the still high cost of living.
Protest participants said they suffered from a lack of health coverage and workplace accident insurance, which doubles the risks they face when working in difficult and dangerous conditions. They also demanded the granting of social protection by declaring them to the National Social Security Fund, which is a fundamental right guaranteed by Moroccan laws.
Working conditions: long hours and poor pay
The Chtouka Ait Baha region is one of the most important agricultural regions of Morocco, as it contributes significantly to the production and export of agricultural products. However, working conditions in this sector do not reflect the hard work of agricultural workers. In addition to low wages and long working hours, workers face conditions of social marginalization, which threaten the stability of their livelihoods.
In this context, protesters highlighted that many employers pursue greedy policies that are limited to maximizing their profits at the expense of improving workers’ conditions, which contradicts the fundamental principles of labor in Morocco.
Low respect for laws: gaps between reality and texts
These protests raise questions about the extent to which employers in the agricultural sector respect laws governing workers’ rights. Although Moroccan law guarantees many rights to agricultural workers, reality shows that there are large gaps in the application of these laws, which pushes workers to resort to demonstrations and sit-ins to demand their rights. fundamental rights.
Calls for dialogue and radical solutions
The demonstrators concluded their position by calling on local authorities and employers to open a serious and effective dialogue to find fair and just solutions to these problems that threaten the stability of the agricultural sector and to achieve social justice. They also called for urgent intervention to limit arbitrary practices and ensure respect for laws that guarantee the dignity of workers and promote the economic and social development of the region.
What is happening in Chtouka Ait Baha province reflects a painful reality experienced by many agricultural workers across Morocco. At a time when the agricultural sector is experiencing remarkable development, working to improve the living and working conditions of these workers remains essential to ensure the sustainability of this vital sector and achieve social justice.
