Morocco: CDT Union Boycotts University Enrollment, Announces Two September Strikes
Morocco's National Union of Higher Education Staff, affiliated with the CDT labor federation, has announced a boycott of university enrollment from September 1-14 and two 72-hour national strikes, protesting the ministry's frozen dialogue.
The National Union of Higher Education and University Residence Staff, affiliated with the Democratic Confederation of Labor (CDT), has announced a boycott of university enrollment at higher education institutions and the sector's central administration, running from September 1 to 14, 2026, alongside two national strikes of 72 hours each, in protest against the continued freeze of sectoral dialogue and the Ministry of Higher Education's delay in responding to staff demands.
The escalation timeline
According to a statement from the union's national bureau following its meeting on August 26, 2026, the boycott will cover enrollment and start-of-year operations at institutions, university residences and central administration offices from September 1 to 14. The first national strike is set for September 8-10, including a protest outside the Ministry of Higher Education's headquarters in Rabat on September 9 at 11 a.m., while the second national strike will take place on September 15-17.
The union's demands
Per the same statement, the union's demands include:
- Accelerating the adoption of a special employment status for higher education staff
- Immediate salary increases, retroactive to January 1, 2026
- Exempting staff enrolled as students from university registration fees
- Scrapping registration fees under the "flexible schedule" study system
- Resuming sectoral negotiations with the ministry
Background of the dispute
The union accuses the ministry of repeatedly postponing sectoral dialogue since May 2026 and failing to honor previous commitments, as well as holding meetings with other unions while excluding this one, despite what it describes as its status as the sector's most representative union. As of publication, the Ministry of Higher Education had not issued any public response to these accusations or to the announced escalation.
Why it matters
The boycott comes at a sensitive time, coinciding with the launch of the 2026-2027 academic year and the candidacy-filing period for the legislative elections scheduled for September 23, 2026. If the escalation continues, it could disrupt enrollment and start-of-year operations for thousands of students, and put social dialogue in the higher education sector back on the agenda of the next government formed after the elections.