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Rabat – Morocco’s Unified Office of Air Traffic Controllers has decided to suspend a strike that was planned on Saturday to protest unsatisfactory wages.
The office announced its decision to suspend the strike after a meeting with Minister of Economic Inclusion Younes Sekouri on Thursday.
The meeting sought to reopen dialogue with the air traffic controllers at the request of the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch.
During the discussion, Sekkouri informed the air traffic controllers of another meeting with the ministries of transport and employment on October 11 to voice their demands.
Earlier this week, the bureau of air traffic controllers announced their plan to hold a 15-day social movement including a series of strikes to protest against the lack of communication about the staff’s demands.
The bureau said that the movement comes in response to failed negotiations on a new labor agreement in August 2022.
Air traffic controllers were previously promised salary increases in a memorandum of understanding signed by the former director of Morocco’s National Office of Airports (ONDA). However, the pay increase was scrapped after new leadership took over.
The union of Royal Air Traffic Controllers also threatened to extend its campaign should the workers’ demands not be met, potentially crippling Morocco’s aviation system.
Air traffic controllers play a crucial role in facilitating the safe movement of flights, as they direct pilots on which runways to use and which altitudes to fly at.
Being a vital cog in the aviation machine, a strike could cause significant flight delays and cancellations, throwing a wrench in the sensitive schedules of airports..
Last month, the Union of Air Traffic Controllers of the African continent announced a strike demanding better working conditions and pay. The strike caused air traffic disruptions across the region, including to Royal Air Maroc, Morocco’s national carrier.
Following Royal Air Maroc’s decision to halt several flights to other African countries due to the strike, thousands of passengers were left stranded across several airports until the strike was suspended.
