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Morocco’s government is moving to enhance labor conditions for security guards amid growing concerns over work hours and pay. A recent legal amendment aims to ensure that these essential workers—many of whom currently put in up to 12-hour shifts—are compensated for an eight-hour workday, addressing longstanding inequalities in the workforce.
Reforming Labor Conditions for Security Guards
Recent statements from Younes Skouri, Morocco’s Minister of Economic Inclusion, highlight a significant legislative amendment aiming to transform the working conditions of private security guards nationwide. With an estimated workforce of approximately 120,000 in the public sector and hundreds of thousands more in the private sector, this group has long faced challenging work conditions that often favor extended hours and inadequate compensation.
Background: The Current Work Environment
Under the 2004 Labor Code, workers were entitled to an eight-hour workday, with specific exemptions allowing for additional hours. However, the term “intermittent work” led to extensive loopholes, permitting private security guards to operate up to 12 hours daily without equitable pay. Approximately 400,000 to 500,000 of these workers contribute to the formal economy, with numbers potentially reaching one million when incorporating those in the informal sector.
Legislative Changes: A Step Towards Fairness
The government recently approved Law No. 32.26, which modifies the Labor Code (Law 65.99), specifically targeting issues that affect security guards. This law aims to align workers’ actual hours with their compensation—an essential step to rectify disparities that have persisted in the sector. Notably, it stipulates that security personnel contracted through security companies will be exempt from the previous provisions, mandating a standardized eight-hour workday.
Implications for the Workforce
This reform is significant not only for improving labor rights but also for reshaping the operational dynamics within security firms. Transitioning from a 12-hour work shift to three eight-hour shifts will likely necessitate the creation of additional job opportunities to maintain service levels. The government has proposed a 12-month transitional period to allow current contracts to adapt before the changes take effect, ensuring a smooth implementation for both companies and employees.
Ensuring Compliance and Communication
Skouri emphasized that the transition is backed by thorough governmental coordination, aiming to facilitate seamless compliance and implementation of the new regulations. The government plans to engage with security companies and public institutions to ensure that these changes are effectively integrated into operational frameworks. Moreover, to prevent any legal ambiguities, provisions have been carefully crafted, and labor inspection agencies will monitor adherence to the new working standards through a national tracking program.
The minister concluded by asserting the importance of this reform in leveling the playing field for a workforce that has faced enduring inequalities, highlighting the balance needed between protecting worker rights and ensuring the continuity of key public services, despite the financial implications of this extensive overhaul.
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Morocco’s government amends labor laws to improve conditions for security guards, ensuring eight-hour workdays and fair compensation.
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Morocco takes a bold step to protect the rights of security guards by enforcing an eight-hour workday—an essential reform for a critical workforce.
