Moroccans Demand Justice for Palestine Amid Labor Day Protests

Rabat – Thousands of Moroccans took to the streets of Rabat on Wednesday in a show of solidarity with International Workers’ Day, also called Labor Day, rallying alongside chants expressing support for Palestinians amid Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza.

Organized by various unions across Moroccan cities, the demonstrations aimed to advocate for workers’ rights while condemning the Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) campaign in the Gaza Strip, which has been ongoing since last October.

The marches featured impassioned slogans in support of Gaza and calls for an end to Israel’s “genocidal” war tactics.

The protest was led by prominent unions such as the National Labor Union of Morocco and the Democratic Federation of Labor.

Similar protests took place across other big cities in the country. In Casablanca, the financial capital, the Democratic Confederation of Labor led a massive march, with participants waving Palestinian flags and carrying banners in support of Palestine.

Workers across various cities, including Jadida, Kenitra, Tangier, Tetouan, Oujda, and Berkane, echoed demands for an immediate cessation of the war in Gaza while condemning what they viewed as Western countries’ complicity in supporting Israel’s actions.

The war on Gaza has resulted in a staggering death toll, with over 112,000 casualties reported, including a significant number of children and women.

The United Nations and Palestinian authorities have been vocal in condemning Israel’s continued military actions despite calls for an immediate ceasefire and urgent humanitarian intervention.

The demonstrations in Morocco also coincided with government announcements regarding wage increases for public sector employees and adjustments to the minimum wage in the private sector.

On Monday, the Moroccan government has officially approved a MAD 1,000 wage increase for public sector workers within the framework of social dialogue meetings carried out in April.

The increase will be distributed in two consecutive installments. The first installment is scheduled to commence on July 1 of the upcoming year, with the second installment slated to begin on July 1, 2025.

The agreement includes a drop in income tax for employees. Middle-income employees are poised to see a MAD 400 reduction in the taxes they pay on a monthly basis.

The deal equally covers a rise in the minimum wage in the industrial, commercial, and freelance sectors, known as SMIG and agriculture by a new 10% within the same social dialogue round of April.

The increase in the legal minimum wage in nonagricultural activities will be applied in two installments as well. The first will include 5% starting from January 1, 2025, and the second will be from January 1, 2026.