Bank Security Guards Struggle on Less Than $300 a Month After Deductions
Underpaid and Exploited: The Plight of Moroccan Bank Security Guards
Security guards are entrusted with the crucial task of protecting our banks and ensuring the safety of employees and customers alike. Yet, in Morocco, many of these essential workers are facing exploitative working conditions and struggling to make ends meet.
Parliament member Mehdi Fatihi recently brought this issue to light, highlighting the dire situation faced by a significant number of bank security guards. According to Fatihi, these guards earn a meager monthly salary ranging from 2,700 to 2,800 dirhams, falling short of the legally mandated minimum wage.
This already insufficient income is further eroded by questionable practices. Many guards are now being paid on a daily basis instead of receiving a monthly salary. This system allows employers to avoid paying for holidays and other non-working days. Additionally, guards are often denied a day’s wage in months with 31 days, and many face unexplained deductions ranging from 300 to 500 dirhams from their already paltry earnings.
Adding insult to injury, security guards who choose to exercise their right to unionize are often subjected to arbitrary transfers and pressure to relinquish their union membership. These actions represent a blatant attack on their fundamental rights and a disregard for their human dignity.
Fatihi has called upon the Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment, and Skills to take immediate action to address this injustice. He demands that the Ministry ensure bank security guards receive at least the legal minimum wage and implement measures to end the exploitative daily wage system. He also urges the government to establish robust oversight mechanisms to prevent unjustified salary deductions.
This situation shines a light on the broader issue of labor exploitation in Morocco. The country has made strides in recent years to improve working conditions, but challenges remain, particularly in sectors with a high proportion of informal or outsourced labor.
The plight of Moroccan bank security guards serves as a stark reminder that economic progress must be accompanied by social justice. Ensuring fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for workers’ rights is not only a moral imperative but also essential for building a sustainable and equitable society.