Moroccans strike for more pay as food costs bite

Casablanca: Morocco's most powerful trade union held the first national strike of King Mohammad's reign on Wednesday to press the government to boost wages and cut taxes to ease the pain of soaring food prices.

The protest called by the CDT (Confederation Democratique du Travail) revived memories of mass walk-outs in previous decades that sometimes ended in riots and brutal crackdowns, but the government said few people followed the latest strike call.

Hundreds were killed or thrown into prison Morocco's biggest city Casablanca in 1981 after crowds rioted over rising bread prices. No such violence was reported in the city on Wednesday.

The CDT said 60 per cent of workers took part in the walk-out, including staff at national airline Royal Air Maroc, aerospace, auto and metal industry workers and the country's only oil refiner, Samir.

"Our general strike is a warning to the government which after four years of negotiations has not responded favourably to our grievances," said Mustapha Brahma, a member of CDT's executive bureau.

The government put the national participation at only 2 per cent in the private sector and about 2.5 per cent of state employees. Samir reported normal activity at its main refinery.

Rising food costs pushed Moroccan consumer prices up 3.7 per cent last month, accelerating from 3.2 per cent in March, official figures showed this week.

Concern over the rising cost of living has overshadowed pay talks between employers, unions and the government, which has offered to raise the minimum wage by 10 per cent over two years.

A growing chunk of Morocco's state budget goes to subsidise fuel and some essential foodstuffs to make them more affordable for the population but costs of fresh fruit, meat, housing and other essentials have been rising fast.

Union officials say the cost of living has soared by 15 per cent since the last minimum wage settlement in 2003.