Social Unrest Intensifies in Morocco Amid Economic Crisis, Soaring Prices, and Unrelenting Unemployment

BY: Dr. Hana Saada

Algiers, Algeria | February 11th, 2025 — A mounting wave of social discontent is gripping Morocco as the nation reels under the weight of a deepening economic crisis marked by skyrocketing living costs, entrenched unemployment, and widespread precarity. In a stark display of growing frustration, the Moroccan Labor Union (Union Marocaine du Travail – UMT), the country’s largest trade union, has declared a nationwide strike on February 5 and 6, targeting both the public and private sectors.

A National Strike Against Deteriorating Living Conditions

The UMT, in an official communiqué, lambasted the government for its “irresponsible attitude” and relentless attacks on the purchasing power of Moroccan workers, citing a relentless surge in consumer prices and the suspension of national social dialogue for two consecutive sessions. The statement accused the authorities of failing to address the escalating economic hardships faced by ordinary Moroccans, further deepening the social crisis.

The union particularly condemned the government’s clandestine adoption of the controversial Organic Law on the Right to Strike, denouncing it as a blatant maneuver to undermine workers’ rights while favoring business elites. The UMT further criticized what it called an “unholy alliance” between the government and employers, accusing policymakers of systematically eroding labor freedoms, marginalizing unemployed youth, and orchestrating a deliberate assault on vital public services such as education and healthcare—both of which have suffered from drastic budget cuts.

A Call to Action: Workers Mobilize for Their Rights

In its fervent appeal, the UMT has urged workers across all sectors to participate in the general strike, portraying it as a decisive battle for dignity and fundamental rights. The union holds the government squarely accountable for exacerbating social tensions and warns of the looming threat to national stability should policymakers continue to ignore the outcry of the working class.

The UMT has also reiterated its demands for immediate and concrete measures to curb rampant inflation, impose price caps, and combat speculative practices that have further eroded household incomes. Moreover, it has called for urgent and substantive negotiations over labor rights, stressing the need for binding agreements that ensure fair wage increases, pension adjustments, and the enforcement of previously signed commitments between the Prime Minister, labor unions, and employers.

Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, the UMT has described the upcoming strike as merely the first step in a broader series of escalating protests unless the government radically alters its course. It has called upon all components of Moroccan society—including progressive political parties, civil society organizations, and activists—to stand in solidarity with the labor movement against what it terms the government’s “regressive and anti-popular” policies.

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