Moroccan Cinema Workers Plead for Aid as Theaters Remain Closed

Cinema exhibition employees found themselves unemployed overnight due to the closure of cinemas. In addition, they no longer receive the CNSS allowance. Faced with the situation, the workers of Ciné Atlas Holding have sent a letter to the Minister of Culture, Communication, Youth and Sports, Othman El Ferdaous. "Our company has 28 employees who have not been receiving the CNSS allowance since July 2020. Families have found themselves without income and in a very critical financial and social situation," they write.

According to them, the multiple press releases and alerts from the Moroccan Chamber of Cinemas have not received a favorable response from the government. Based on this observation, the employees are calling for the extension of the Covid-19 CNSS allowance until the reopening of cinemas under the same conditions as the employees in the tourism sector. "The employees in the tourism sector, a sector that reopened in June 2020, are covered by the CNSS until the end of December 2020. We, the employees of the cinema exhibition sector (still on hold), are asking for the same treatment," they wish.

They also call for the payment of the Covid-19 CNSS allowance for the months of July and August 2020 that they did not receive. They also plead for the reopening of cinemas. "We are well aware of the seriousness of this pandemic and that the protection of the Moroccan people is the top priority of the government. The barrier measures in cinemas have already been set since early July by the Moroccan Cinematographic Center in order to protect the spectators and the teams," they say.