Moroccan Cafes Fight Back: Economic Crisis Overshadowed by Social Media Controversy

In a statement, the organization affiliated with the UMT denounces an attempt to "tarnish the image" of the profession, stating that this debate masks the deep economic difficulties of the sector.

The union states that the real issue is not in the customer-employer relationship, but in the "public policies" that weigh on their activity. It lists a series of charges that "have stifled the sector and led it to the brink of collapse": the weight of taxes and duties, the rise in the cost of raw materials, water and electricity bills, as well as rents and social security contributions.

The trade union organization regrets that the discussion is focused on "isolated individual practices" rather than this structural crisis. It recalls that cafes are not "an enemy of the citizen", but "social enterprises" that ensure the livelihoods of thousands of families, and warns against the "serious consequences" that the collapse of the sector would have on the national economy.

The union therefore calls on the media to address the issues of the sector with "objectivity and responsibility" and to stop publishing "superficial articles". It invites them to focus on "the essence of the crisis", which it identifies as "the lack of tax justice". The organization has finally reaffirmed its willingness to engage in "all legitimate forms of struggle" to defend the professionals in the sector.