Transport strike impacts Moroccan commuters, vendors
2009-04-14
Despite action taken by the government to end a crippling transport strike, Moroccan businesses may continue to feel the effects.
By Sarah Touahri for Magharebia in Rabat – 14/04/09
 [Getty Images] Moroccan professional drivers mounted a strike over proposed traffic laws. |
A massive transit strike in Morocco ended on Monday (April 13th) after disrupting the national economy and the daily lives of commuters for nearly a week.
Moroccans have been caught in a dispute between transport unions and the government. Drivers angered by provisions in the draft Highway Code held their first work stoppage on March 12th and launched a general strike on April 6th.
The effect on both commuters and the economy was substantial.
In Casablanca, commuters formed huge queues at bus stops. Workers, civil servants, and students all had great difficulty getting to and from their places of work or study.
Union member Abdellah Hammouchi stated that support for the strike among small taxi drivers reached 95%. The large taxi sector was paralysed, as was the commercial transport of goods.
The stoppage has also had a negative impact on supplies reaching the markets.
"If the strike continues, stocks will run out," said Hassan El Hadi, the wholesale market workers’ secretary-general in Casablanca.
Petrol stations ground to a virtual halt by the sixth day of the strike. Those motorists unable to refuel their vehicles were forced to wait for hours on end just to fill up with a few drops of petrol.
Produce markets were also badly hit by the strike, with prices surging as demand outstripped supply. Associations of produce growers and exporters said that the strike jeopardised their livelihoods just when they had been hoping, after prices had begun to rise in relative terms, to be able to offset losses incurred earlier this season.
In a statement published on Monday, they said that the disruption interfered with the supply of fruit and vegetables to the market, where demand amounts to nearly 5,000 tonnes per day.
The secretary-general of the UNTM’s transport division, Noureddine Mouharrir, said that the unions are prepared to do whatever it takes. "If the minister persists in refusing to meet us, we’ll call for the prime minister to intervene."
Taxi driver Ahmed Boudali said that the ministry of transport and equipment must open an honest dialogue with union representatives to reach a consensus on the fines and custodial sentences included in the draft transport bill.
On Saturday, under pressure from trade unionists, Transport Minister Karim Ghellab and Senate chairman Maati Benkeddour announced that the draft Highway Code had been withdrawn temporarily and that talks would be held with industry figures.
"I [will] personally… consider the proposals made by transport professionals regarding the necessary amendments. The law must be adapted to the realities of life in Morocco, in particular with regard to the minimum wage," Benkeddour said.
The government is prepared to enter into negotiations and make reasonable amendments, Ghellab added.
Trade unionists were divided in the wake of this announcement. Some called off their strikes, while others vowed to go on with them until the prime minister steps in.
In a bid to calm the situation, Ghellab and several ministers met union representatives on Monday and promised to look into their grievances.
Benkeddour also held a meeting with union and transport sector representatives in an attempt to allay their concerns and inform them of the reasons behind the postponement of the draft Highway Code by the upper house of parliament.
The general coordinator of the General Moroccan Workers’ Confederation (CGTM), Mekki Hrizi, said that the strike had continued, as the protesters had not fully grasped the significance of the decision to postpone consideration of the law by the Chamber of Senators.
The general secretary of the Democratic Union of Transport Workers, Driss Reddah, said that the repressive provisions within the draft Highway Code must be removed if the general discontent is to end.
Opposition senators stated that the strike was legitimate but should not be prolonged now that the government’s stance has shifted.
"The public was right to be concerned about the draft Highway Code. There are provisions that must be amended, particularly those regarding custodial sentences and fines. However, the law is currently the responsibility of parliament," said Mohamed Fadili, a senator representing the Mouvement Populaire.
Government councillors see things differently. They explained that the strike had been called for purely electoral reasons, because the elections are drawing near.
"This is a purely pre-electoral manoeuvre. The use of strike action cannot be justified because the road laws as they stand now are outdated and need to be reformed," said Councillor Mohamed Ansary.
Meanwhile, the public are calling on both sides to open up dialogue and end the protests, which have disrupted daily life.
Ilham Chakibi, a student, said she found it difficult to carry on with her university studies on strike days. "I’ve had to miss lectures because I couldn’t find taxis to take me to the faculty. I couldn’t get onto the buses, because they’re full to bursting."
On Monday evening, Prime Minister Abbas El Fassi met wit transport representatives in Rabat, and promised the suspension of the examination of the draft law by the Chamber of Senators, and the creation of a special committee charged with reviewing the demands of transport sector professionals.
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Abdelilah Boukili Posted 2009-04-14
This strike must not be held for purely electoral ends. Road safety depends on the road conditions that are presently wanting in the cities and on national highways. Road safety, in short, is the state’s responsibility, and it needs to improve the roads. Drivers must respect driving regulations and the authorities, especially the gendarmes and the traffic police, but the latter ignores drivers’ misconduct in light of bakshish. If no collective effort is made, then the number of accidents will continue to multiply. The “unlucky” will continue to pay the price for their accidents because no one can support them. And, so long as the “lucky” will have the possibility to get off scot free because they have the means to without being subject to any penalties.
chamipon Posted 2009-04-14
the moroccan prime minister once again shows that he yields the power necessary to make things right. And the king, as he should, does not intervene and lets him deal with the mess. slowly but surely, the power of the prime minister is rising.
mohamed Posted 2009-04-14
Drivers remain dependent on the discretionary power of the police officer doing the talking, especially when it comes to speed limits. And it is precisely there that corruption begins.
Lawrence Posted 2009-04-15
Here is one small question: how many less deaths have there been on the road because of this strike? -A few? -A lot?
CITOYEN Posted 2009-04-15
These strikers have done well. Minister Ghallab, who has never travelled in a car, has never been subject to the hegemony of police officers, has never paid a fine, has never had his license taken away whilst traveling 1000 kilometres from his home. We should not only make a lesson of this, but we should also fire the minister and replace him with someone worthy of so being called.
simo Posted 2009-04-15
Yes to the right to strike! But also “Yes!” to the right to work and therefore not to strike when you do not agree with the strikers. Yes to democracy! No to anarchy!
Sarah Posted 2009-04-15
Wed 15th April...the strike has not ended yet in Azrou, Ifrane, Fez, Meknes...
mahjoub Posted 2009-04-16
This law is not appropriate. It will be harmful to Moroccans.
BEN Posted 2009-04-17
The time is now! How much has this eight-day strike cost us? Our roads bring us more than 12 billion in losses every year. Beyond that, households bear the cost of the inflation in the price of agricultural produce. And, now there are strikes to go along with this!? This strategic sector does not deserve all of this and neither does the civilian population. This is a crisis to be added to the crisis. The proposed regulations were suspended after much debating and many amendments, including the famous Article 141, which was revised. So what? Did Europe grant us “advanced status” in order to give us problems? In order to get this, our law has to meet their norms. What are we to do? To govern means to plan ahead. The political and social environment is not yet ready for reforms, and the “tool” charged with enforcing this needs to first be reviewed in depth. I think that this is the heart of the problem because our current judicial system could do better and, to this regard, could come to better conclusion. In the preceding discussion, our attention was attracted to the Minister of Transportation’s possible reform who advocated this not to self-serving ends but in order to improve and benefit transportation in general and transporters in particular. And this is in spite of the progress already made in ridding us of clientelism, which is harmful to public interest.
is Posted 2009-04-17
people walking on the middle of the roads others driving between the lines ext....the rods are not fixed..people need to change there minds first.
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