News

Workers in Morocco are voting this week in national elections for delegates in both workplace and national Works Councils. Morocco`s largest trade union the UMT (Union Marocaine du Travail) is standing candidates across many sectors of the eceonomy but for the first time has launched full `lists`of candidates in the increasingly important Contact Centre sector. The elections are held every 6 years by law. This sector is the fast growing in Morocco and employs over 70,000 workers who are eligible to vote. Morocco has been dubbed the `Call Centre Capital of Europe`as services for the whole French speaking world are being moved there, including many French and Belgian companies.

From an initially small group of activists UMT is now launching a major election campaign to win union recognition in both the national and the enterprise level Councils by gaining morer than 35% of the delegates.. If it achieves this it will be a remarkable success in a sector that has never had trade union recognition or bargaining. Employers have responded aggressively in some companies, firing activists and interfering with the ballot processes.

UMT has been working with UNI Organisers to plan a strategy, train activists, provide materialés and campaign amongst workplaces to win recognition.

Voting takes place all this week and the results will be announced on June 10th.