The Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch announced, Thursday, a 5% increase in the guaranteed minimum inter-professional wage (SMIG) in the industry, trade and liberal professions sectors, as well as a 10% increase in the guaranteed minimum agricultural wage (SMAG), with immediate effect as of September.
Speaking at the opening of the weekly Government Council meeting, Akhannouch stressed that the revaluation of SMIG and SMAG is part of a set of measures announced by the government to improve the incomes of citizens, adding that this initiative materializes the commitments contained in the social agreement before the launch of the second round of social dialogue.
The government is also committed to reducing, from 3240 to 1320 days, the conditions to benefit from old age pension and to enabling insured persons who have reached the legal retirement age with less than 1320 days of contributions to recover the employee’s share of contributions, as well as employee contributions.
He highlighted, in this sense, the sustained efforts made by the ministers to implement the contents of the social agreement and to honor the government’s commitments to the unions. These commitments include the adoption of the bill on paternity leave, the proposed law on the creation and management of a common foundation of social works for civil servants and agents of public administrations, and the Decree identifying the list of diseases entitling to a medium-term sick leave.
In line with the objectives of the key royal project to generalize social protection, the government has reached an agreement with the most representative trade unions in the health sector regarding the reform of the national health system, taking into account that motivating the sector’s professionals and improving their working conditions are a prelude to this reform, Akhannouch added.
The government has honored its commitments to the doctors by operating changes in the index grid for doctors, pharmacists and dentists. Nurses and health technicians benefited from scale and grade promotion, and administrative staff and health technicians benefited from an upgraded allowance related to professional risks.
The Head of Government reiterated his support for ministers who manage sectoral dialogues to achieve tangible results in the next rounds of social dialogue.
In application of the high royal vision making the institutionalization of social dialogue a strategic choice, the government has worked to establish solid partnerships with social partners to lay the foundations for a serious and regular social dialogue and implement the various social commitments contained in the government program, while supporting and improving the purchasing power of citizens, he recalled.
Thanks to the combined efforts of various stakeholders, the government has been able to give a new impetus to social dialogue, during the first year of its mandate, through the signing of the national charter to structure the social dialogue through the establishment of a steering committee, regional and provincial committees, an observatory and a training academy in the area of employment and business climate, Akhannouch said.
