HIBAPRESS – Ahmed El-Masaad
Security authorities in the city of Oujda on Tuesday afternoon, October 13, confronted a protest march organized by the unified office of the Moroccan Labor Union at the Mohammed VI University Hospital. The march was heading towards the headquarters of the Oriental Region Governorate, and authorities prevented them from demonstrating in public.
This protest comes in the wake of escalating tensions between health workers and the administration of the University Hospital. The union described this as a "dead end for social dialogue, a lack of serious response to the just demands of the workers, and the continuation of stubbornness and intimidation."
In a statement to HIBAPRESS, Hamid Mohammed, the Secretary-General of the Unified Office of the National Health Union (Moroccan Labor Union) at the University Hospital, confirmed that despite the security forces preventing the protest march, there are indications of easing the crisis. This follows contact from M'hammed Eddarazi, the Wali of the Oriental Region, to open dialogue and discuss the demands this evening.
The union source explained that the workers' demands are based on two main pillars:
– Improving health services for citizens: By providing necessary medicines and medical supplies within the University Hospital and resolving the issue of long waiting times for appointments, thus protecting citizens' health and preventing staff frustration with hospital visitors due to shortages.
– Safeguarding workers' rights and financial dues: Demanding the immediate cessation of administrative abuses and arbitrary performance evaluations, payment of outstanding dues for guard allowances (according to the new incentivized formula for 2024), and transportation allowances stuck since 2023, while opening an investigation into unequal distribution in previous years. He also stressed the need to open recruitment competitions to fill human resource gaps, launch internal and external transfer movements, and settle administrative statuses and promotions.
The union office also strongly condemned the assault incident that befell a nurse by the administration of the Regional Oncology Center, demanding an investigation and the implementation of measures to preserve the dignity of health professionals and protect them while performing their duties.
In connection with the de-escalation decision, the Secretary-General revealed that an initial dialogue session will be held under the supervision of the Oriental Region Governorate and with the presence of the University Hospital administration to scrutinize the points in the demands file. He confirmed that the continuation or suspension of protest actions will depend on the seriousness of the dialogue's outcomes and the extent to which it responds to the demands of sector workers.
