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Rabat – Hostility may ratchet up again between Royal Air Maroc and its pilots in the Moroccan Association of Airline Pilots union (AMPL).
Local media reported on Saturday that the crisis between RAM and AMPL may continue as pilots voted against an agreement introduced by the state-owned air carrier and the union in mid-August.
In July, the company experienced a wave of protests from pilots who were calling for a pay raise.
The pilots also called for the reestablishment of a school of aviation in Morocco after the closure of RAM’s training center for pilots in 2014.
The protests resulted in the delay and cancelation of more than 12 flights a day for nearly a month.
RAM and AMPL said that they reached an agreement in mid-August to end the crisis.
The deal aimed to focus on recruitment to end the shortage of pilots.
RAM noted that the company-funded training center for pilots “is no longer a priority.”
The deal entailed that “recruitment needs will continue to be satisfied through partnerships with foreign training institutions.”
The agreement also gave pilots four days off monthly, in addition to the traditional two days off per week, a pay raise, and a grant to pay a third of pilots’ training fees.
However, of the 426 members of the AMPL, 359 pilots voted against the agreement.
On September 18, Head of Government Saad Eddine El Othmani inaugurated the Moroccan Private Aviation Academy (MAPA) in Benslimane, near Rabat.
El Othmani said that the project is set to meet the growing needs of the aviation industry.
The school will offer training to pilots and aviation maintenance technicians to address the shortage.
According to El Othmani, Africa will need some 4,900 pilots in the coming years, as well as a large number of technicians.
The project benefits from government assistance.
