Morocco proposes a new increase in the guaranteed inter-branch minimum wage

Younes Sekkouri, Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Businesses, Employment and Training, said in statements to the press that “the government is getting closer and closer to approving a new increase in the minimum wage."

Sekkouri explained that this increase is the result of the government enforcing a previous commitment it made as part of an agreement with unions and employers. The minister also confirmed that the social dialogue between the Executive and citizens has made great progress in terms of understanding and mutual understanding. He stressed that the government's responsibility in this situation is to unite different points of view to find solutions as soon as possible.

He stressed that the discussion was not about minor issues, but rather about fundamental reforms that were in the background, which he described as a “victory for us” as long as the government was able to take these reforms out of the background in which they are and direct them towards the institutions.

For his part, Chakib Alj, president of the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), explained in statements on the sidelines of a press conference, that Moroccan companies respect this agreement in which they also demand an increase in the guaranteed interprofessional minimum wage (SMIG).

“The contract signed between the CGEM, the government and the unions is clear, and if the demands of the unions are met by the Government and the unions, the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises will work to implement the second 5% increase on the minimum wage,” said Ajl, president of the Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises.

To meet their commitments under the terms of the April agreement last year, the companies initiated the first SMIG increase in September last year, according to Alj. However, to implement the second increase, they stipulated the enactment of the strike law. The minister added that, “within the framework of reasonableness and the general interest” his department remains open to receiving suggestions from any citizen.

The unions and the government signed an agreement last year that calls for a 10% increase in the minimum wage over the course of two years for the industry, trade and service sectors and harmonizes the minimum wage in all these sectors, as well as for agriculture, the liberal professions and the agricultural sector. In addition, he called for increasing the minimum wage in the public sector to 3,500 dirhams and increasing family compensation values in both the public and private sectors for the fourth, fifth and sixth children.

In fact, the SMIG has been present in Moroccan professional customs since the 80s. In addition, the main objective of the SMIG by existing is to eliminate or at least reduce to some extent the inequalities experienced by workers in its sector. Over time and over the years, this minimum wage has fluctuated.

In fact, it represents the smallest hourly rate that the law has established to regulate the employee compensation system. Any entrepreneur should always pay his employees taking this factor into account. The decision to increase the minimum wage in the commercial, industrial, liberal professions and agricultural sectors came into force on September 1, 2022.

As a result, from September 2022, the legal minimum wage (SMIG) for one hour of work in the liberal professions, as well as in the industrial and commercial sectors, increased from 14.81 dirhams to 15.55 dirhams per hour. With this new regulation, which will come into force in September, wages will increase to 16.29 dirhams per hour. In turn, the legal minimum wage per working day in the agricultural sector also increased, going from 76.70 dirhams to 84.37 in September 2022 to finally stand at 88.58 dirhams per hour in 2023.