The David vs. Goliath syndicate

A keyboard and a screen may seem less threatening than a slingshot and a rock, but they prove very effective in the unequal combat that Benabdallah Badreddinecall center employee Rebateagainst sieve, an American multinational company present in more than 40 countries with more than 160,000 employees. The conflict between the two began when Badreddine, along with 17 other colleagues, informed his superiors that they wanted to create a trade union department in the SITEL office in Rabat under the umbrella of the country’s largest union, the Moroccan Workers Union (UMT).

In the following weeks, 15 out of 18 workers were dismissed unfairly and without any disciplinary procedure. “We knew that this decision would cause us problems, but it is our right and we did not want to give up,” says Baddredine, a 40-year-old computer science graduate.

The dismissed workers were not informed of the reasons for the termination of the contract, nor were they given the opportunity to defend themselves. “It was revenge for forming a union,” explains Baddredine, who is one of three “Group 18” employees still on the payroll of SITEL, which employs 1,300 people at its headquarters in the Moroccan capital.

Because of his value as an employee and his role as a group leader, Badreddine’s bosses initially tried to buy him off by offering him a promotion in exchange for giving up his union aspirations. But he refused, preferring to launch a campaign to recover his companions. More than a year has passed since then and the battle with SITEL has been raging, attracting the attention of the media, Parliament Morocco and even international organizations.

“We have already organized two rallies in front of the company’s headquarters, and we have also sought the mediation of various public institutions. In one of them, the representatives of the company did not even deign to come – says this short-haired and light-eyed man. The possibility of finally getting fired does not worry him. In the call center industry, basic salaries are barely above the minimum wage – around Dh4,000 or €380 – and target bonuses often amount to a third of the final salary.

“In Morocco, it is common for private companies, national and multinational, to refuse to allow the creation of union departments, even though this right is recognized in the Constitution. Even the fact that she is a union delegate does not protect the worker from dismissal,” says Khadija Riady, former president of the Moroccan Association for Human Rights, the most militant in the country. This partly explains the very low rate of union organization that exists, which does not exceed 6%.

What those responsible for SITEL did not expect at the beginning of the conflict was that the “group of 18” would be able to use all the resources at their disposal, including the public support of several members of the national parliament who belong to the left. wing parties. In addition, their conflict was included in the International Trade Union Confederation’s 2022 report on violations of freedom of association. Since the case received so much attention, the leaders of SITEL have changed their attitude and are already coming to mediation meetings. . However, they refuse to bring back the fired employees, because they fear that it might set a precedent. “We will go to the end,” said Badreddine, with the expression of determination of those who know they are facing a great challenge, but have already lost their fear.