The National Women’s Committee of the FNPT UMT have voted to hold a national strike for women postal workers on March 8th, International Women’s Day, to defend their rights.
On 11 February, 2012, the Women’s Postal Workers’ Committee of the FNPT UMT in Marocco met in Rabat in preparation for International Women’s Day. Fifty women from different locals and regions of the FNPT UMT who participated decided to celebrate International Women’s Day by a day of strike by women postal workers and a sit-in in front of Parliament to protest their working conditions as women postal workers.
The workers are fighting for greater representation in decision-making structures of the post office. Women postal workers, though highly qualified, do not reach higher levels within the Maroccan post office. They are arguing that a quota should be put in place in order to ensure greater representation.
Women postal workers are also fighting for legal protection as they are subject to harassment, insults and even grave accusations. In fact, women workers at retail counters can be brought to police stations if there are errors in payments issued. They argue that postal management needs to intervene and defend their employees.
Furthermore, the union members are fighting for the right to training, access to prayer facilities on Fridays and on-site child care, which is provided for under the labour code.
Source: Global Union
