Morocco: Trade unionists claim "arbitrary measures" after Comdata barred 7 trade union leaders from accessing their workplace for leading a strike, including allegations of trade union attacks; co. did not respond
On 21 April 2022, the union of workers affiliated to the Moroccan Labor Union (UMT) of the company Business Casablanca 25, a subsidiary of the offshoring multinational Comdata Group in Morocco, went on strike after having exhausted all avenues of dialogue with the company to bring forward their demands. The workers were particularly concerned about inflation and its negative consequences on their purchasing power, and they demanded pay increases to improve their living and working conditions.
“Employees are determined to fight to improve their living and working conditions and to denounce precariousness in Call Centers!" – UMT union
A few days after the strike, Comdata management in Morocco reportedly denied seven union leaders of the UMT access to their workplace for leading a strike demanding a salary increase in the company and threatened them with legal action, which UMT representative Ayoub Saoud described as "arbitrary measures."
“We are shocked by this arbitrary measure. We summoned the management to the labor inspectorate on April 27, who did not show up for this meeting," – Ayoub Saoud, UMT
Additionally, we have recieved further claims from UMT alleging that trade union leader Cherine Benjnouh has been subjected to attack by the subsidiary of Comdata Group in Morocco due to her trade union activities. According to UMT, the company has abusively transferred Cherine to another city, all without taking into account the social and economic constraints that resulted, and the company did not reimburse or cover her relocation expenses. "The company is maliciously using the employment contract's mobility clause to force her to resign or give up her mandate as a union steward," UMT added.
Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Comdata Group's headquarters in Italy to respond to allegations of "arbitrary measuers" & attacks against union leaders in Morocco. Comdata did not respond to our request.