3 February, 2021A significant landmark was achieved on 1 February, at an agreement signing ceremony in Tangier, Morocco, that ended a year-long strike and set the roadmap for a new relationship between 500 workers and management of Veolia subsidiary Amanor.
IndustriALL contacted Veolia in May 2020, after all mediation efforts had failed to bring the parties together. Amanor workers were protesting a long and serious list of violations. Veolia’s strong public commitments on trade union rights were put to the test, and the new roadmap agreed by all parties is a strong example of a multinational company reacting in the correct way.
IndustriALL sector director Tom Grinter said:
“Veolia central management has worked with us in good faith to solve this major conflict. This positive example can serve as the foundation for expanding the relationship between IndustriALL Global Union and Veolia.”
The Tangier regional secretary of the Union Marocaine du Travail (UMT), Ali Abdelsadik, officially announced the end of the strike to the event.
With the ending of the Amanor workers’ indefinite strike and worksite occupations, management agreed to cancel the dismissals of all eleven workers dismissed during the conflict, and a restart of operations free from discrimination.
The roadmap agreement sets out a clear timeline for the next steps. A first phase of agreeing solutions to the contentious issues will take place under mediation, followed by collective bargaining that will deliver the long-standing social peace desired by all parties. The mediation has been conducted by Professor Rachid Filali.
The signing ceremony on 1 February brought together management, workers and different levels of union representation as well as the regional director of the Moroccan Ministry of Labour.
Francois De Rochambeau, general director of Veolia Morocco, addressed the event, welcoming the agreement and outlining his keenness to continue working with the partners on the issue.
The senior level trade union representation at the meeting included UMT general secretary Miloudi Moukharik, IndustriALL vice-president for the MENA region, Abdelmajid Matoual, and IndustriALL assistant general secretary Kemal Özkan, who all expressed strong appreciation with the agreement along with the regional director of the Ministry of Labour.
Abdelatif El Razy, general secretary of the union of Amanor workers signed the agreement and said:
“We hope to overcome the problems and causes that led to this tension, and we look forward to resuming work and effective social dialogue.”
As per the roadmap agreement, the process will be monitored by Veolia and IndustriALL Global Union.
IndustriALL MENA regional secretary Ahmed Kamel said:
“We congratulate the national and regional leadership of UMT and the workers for such major progress. Now the important work begins on the collective bargaining, promoting mutual trust and dialogue.”