Abbas Al Fassi proposes a three-way funding for unemployment benefits
2 October 2009
Read by 2002 persons
The state has finally agreed to contribute to the funding of this benefit.
Unions and employers propose that the amount of the benefit be proportional to the salary received before job loss.
Scales 1 to 4 of the civil service abolished over two years, in 2010 and 2011.
Social dialogue should resume soon. Except for salary increases, which the government no longer wants to hear about before 2011, many points discussed at the last meeting before Eid Al Adha should be clarified on this occasion. Progress has been made during the last meeting, even if the unions remain adamant about the standard of living of workers, whose improvement they demand.
Among these advances, there is first the file of unemployment benefits (IPE). This subject has been regularly discussed for years, but each time the social partners stumbled over the question of its financing. Proposals had already been put forward, but the unions did not understand that this system could be financed only by employees and the company. This time, the government has finally agreed to contribute to the implementation of this social safety net. This will therefore be three-way funding. Abbas Al Fassi, during the last meeting with the unions, even suggested the share of each: one third for the employee, one third for the employer and one third for the state. A union that attended the meeting, however, nuances: "The Prime Minister did indeed speak of one third for each party, but he immediately added that he would first consult the Minister of Finance on this point".
However, the unions are already satisfied with this distribution of funding, considering that in the past it was not even a question of the state participating. However, at the CDT, as at the UMT and the FDT, it is considered that if three-way funding is indeed an advance, this should not translate into an equal contribution between the three parties. In other words, the unions believe that the share of employees should be less than that of the employer and the state. The CGEM, for its part, considers that it is premature to pronounce on this point, until the CNSS has submitted its report. It is indeed the CNSS which is working on the file, and its project should be presented to the board of directors of the fund which will meet towards the end of December next.
The CNSS is working on three financing scenarios for the IPE
But in any case, the employers say they are not only in favor of the establishment of the IPE, but they even wonder why it has taken so long to achieve it. Jamal Belahrach, president of the employment and social relations commission of the CGEM, considers this IPE to be a necessity, while specifying that its financing should take into account the competitiveness of the company. "This is all we can say for now on this aspect of the file. When we have received the CNSS project, we will give our point of view at that time", he confides. Another point that remains to be clarified on this IPE file: what will be the amount of the benefit that the employee who has lost his job will receive? There again, nothing is yet settled. Initially, when the idea of setting up the IPE was initiated, it was a question of 70% of the Smig. But today, the reflection has evolved, including within the employers' organizations. The president of the CGEM social commission, believes in this respect that this benefit should be considered proportionally to the salary level, or salary brackets, of workers.
"It is absurd and unfair to grant a benefit of 70% or even 80% of the Smig to an employee who, before losing his job, received a salary of 8,000 or 10,000 DH, for example", declares Mr. Belahrach to La Vie éco. On this point, the president of the CGEM social commission is in agreement with the unions. In fact, according to union and employer sources, the CNSS is working on several scenarios (at least three) for financing the IPE, each corresponding to the amount of the benefit to be received by the worker who has lost his job. Let us just recall here that employers and unions are represented on the CNSS board of directors and, consequently, any project must, in principle, have obtained their agreement. The other subject discussed at the last social dialogue meeting: benefits for personnel working in remote and difficult areas.
700 DH net benefit for work in remote and deprived areas
According to a trade unionist from the CDT, the Prime Minister had proposed a net benefit of 700 DH per month but only for education and health personnel. Another commitment from the government, the abolition of scales 1 to 4 of the civil service over the next two years (2010 and 2011). It should be emphasized that if the IPE project succeeds, a significant part of the difficulties between unions, on the one hand, and employers and the government, on the other, will be resolved. This is also reflected in the speeches of both unionists and the CGEM, unanimous in declaring the necessity and even the urgency to set up this IPE. Because there is nothing more traumatic than a worker who, overnight, finds himself without resources. With the IPE, remember, he will receive benefits during his first six months of unemployment.
Salah Agueniou
Published on December 7, 2009
Posted online on December 7, 2009
lavieeco.com
Unions and employers propose that the amount of the benefit be proportional to the salary received before job loss.
Scales 1 to 4 of the civil service abolished over two years, in 2010 and 2011.
Social dialogue should resume soon. Except for salary increases, which the government no longer wants to hear about before 2011, many points discussed at the last meeting before Eid Al Adha should be clarified on this occasion. Progress has been made during the last meeting, even if the unions remain adamant about the standard of living of workers, whose improvement they demand.
Among these advances, there is first the file of unemployment benefits (IPE). This subject has been regularly discussed for years, but each time the social partners stumbled over the question of its financing. Proposals had already been put forward, but the unions did not understand that this system could be financed only by employees and the company. This time, the government has finally agreed to contribute to the implementation of this social safety net. This will therefore be three-way funding. Abbas Al Fassi, during the last meeting with the unions, even suggested the share of each: one third for the employee, one third for the employer and one third for the state. A union that attended the meeting, however, nuances: "The Prime Minister did indeed speak of one third for each party, but he immediately added that he would first consult the Minister of Finance on this point".
However, the unions are already satisfied with this distribution of funding, considering that in the past it was not even a question of the state participating. However, at the CDT, as at the UMT and the FDT, it is considered that if three-way funding is indeed an advance, this should not translate into an equal contribution between the three parties. In other words, the unions believe that the share of employees should be less than that of the employer and the state. The CGEM, for its part, considers that it is premature to pronounce on this point, until the CNSS has submitted its report. It is indeed the CNSS which is working on the file, and its project should be presented to the board of directors of the fund which will meet towards the end of December next.
The CNSS is working on three financing scenarios for the IPE
But in any case, the employers say they are not only in favor of the establishment of the IPE, but they even wonder why it has taken so long to achieve it. Jamal Belahrach, president of the employment and social relations commission of the CGEM, considers this IPE to be a necessity, while specifying that its financing should take into account the competitiveness of the company. "This is all we can say for now on this aspect of the file. When we have received the CNSS project, we will give our point of view at that time", he confides. Another point that remains to be clarified on this IPE file: what will be the amount of the benefit that the employee who has lost his job will receive? There again, nothing is yet settled. Initially, when the idea of setting up the IPE was initiated, it was a question of 70% of the Smig. But today, the reflection has evolved, including within the employers' organizations. The president of the CGEM social commission, believes in this respect that this benefit should be considered proportionally to the salary level, or salary brackets, of workers.
"It is absurd and unfair to grant a benefit of 70% or even 80% of the Smig to an employee who, before losing his job, received a salary of 8,000 or 10,000 DH, for example", declares Mr. Belahrach to La Vie éco. On this point, the president of the CGEM social commission is in agreement with the unions. In fact, according to union and employer sources, the CNSS is working on several scenarios (at least three) for financing the IPE, each corresponding to the amount of the benefit to be received by the worker who has lost his job. Let us just recall here that employers and unions are represented on the CNSS board of directors and, consequently, any project must, in principle, have obtained their agreement. The other subject discussed at the last social dialogue meeting: benefits for personnel working in remote and difficult areas.
700 DH net benefit for work in remote and deprived areas
According to a trade unionist from the CDT, the Prime Minister had proposed a net benefit of 700 DH per month but only for education and health personnel. Another commitment from the government, the abolition of scales 1 to 4 of the civil service over the next two years (2010 and 2011). It should be emphasized that if the IPE project succeeds, a significant part of the difficulties between unions, on the one hand, and employers and the government, on the other, will be resolved. This is also reflected in the speeches of both unionists and the CGEM, unanimous in declaring the necessity and even the urgency to set up this IPE. Because there is nothing more traumatic than a worker who, overnight, finds himself without resources. With the IPE, remember, he will receive benefits during his first six months of unemployment.
Salah Agueniou
Published on December 7, 2009
Posted online on December 7, 2009
lavieeco.com
