–On 28 Th May 2019, drivers of waste management depots of Urmia municipality in West Azerbaijan province, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages.
-On 27 th May 2019, sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The employers has decided to only pay for 80 hours of their extra work in March. The workers regard it as embezzlement. Following the strike some of the workers were called in and threatened with arrest and imprisonment but the workers say that given the extreme financial pressures they can afford to let the employers take their money. Despite the pressures on workers of Haft Tapeh following the strikes in 2018, protest and strike continues and the workers also demand immediate and unconditional release of their leader, Esmaeil Bakhshi, and end to security atmosphere in the workplace.
-On 26 th May 2019, workers of section 14 of South ParsDome Gas-Condensate field went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The workers haven't been paid for 6 months.
-On 25 th May 2019, municipality workers in Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The workers who haven't been paid for 6 months gathered in 22 Bahman Boulevard.
-On 25 th May 2019, truck drivers in West Iran went on strike and protested against increase of fuel prices.
-On 22 nd May 2019, a large group of workers of Bil Boland crud oil refinery in Khuzestan province, Iran, held an assembly and protested against non-payment of their wages and dismissal of some of their colleagues.
-On 22 nd May 2019, female municipality workers of Zone 3 of Tabriz in Azerbaijan province held an assembly in front of the municipality building and protested against imposition of gender apartheid against women. One of the cases is regarding the way their insurance money is paid. The workers, some of whom have been at the job for over 10 years, say that they have experienced lots of discriminations.
-On 25 th May 2019, municipality workers of several boroughs of Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, held an assembly and protested against non-payment of their wages.
On 25 th May 2019, workers of Combined Cycle Power Plant in Abadan in Khuzestan province, went on strike and held an assembly at their workplace and protested against non-payment of their wages.
-On 25 th May 2019, some of the dismissed workers of Pars Special Economic Energy Zone Co in Bushehr province, gathered in front of the plant and demanded return to work. Wife of one of the workers addressed the assembly and the workers spoke of the poverty and their dire conditions.
-On 26 th May 2019, a group of retirees of Telecommunications of Kuzestan held an assembly in front of the annual general gathering of Telecommunications of Iran and protested against the way their pensions are handled.
-On 26 th May 2019, workers of Peyman Marv Co (subcontractor of Tehran Metro) went on strike at Rey Shahr station and protested against non-payment of 3 months of their wages and 2 months of their insurance money.
-On 26 th May 2019, a group of workers of industrial municipality of Abadan refinery in Khuzestan province, went on strike and protested against non-payment of three months of their wages. The contractors who employed the workers have declared bankruptcy and refuses to pay the wages.
On 28th May 2019, drivers of waste management depots of Urmia municipality in West Azerbaijan province, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages.
On 27th May 2019, sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The employers has decided to only pay for 80 hours of their extra work in March. The workers regard it as embezzlement. Following the strike some of the workers were called in and threatened with arrest and imprisonment but the workers say that given the extreme financial pressures they can afford to let the employers take their money. Despite the pressures on workers of Haft Tapeh following the strikes in 2018, protest and strike continues and the workers also demand immediate and unconditional release of their leader, Esmaeil Bakhshi, and end to security atmosphere in the workplace.
On 26th May 2019, workers of section 14 of South ParsDome Gas-Condensate field went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The workers haven’t been paid for 6 months.
On 25th May 2019, municipality workers in Ahvaz in Khuzestan province, went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. The workers who haven’t been paid for 6 months gathered in 22 Bahman Boulevard.
On 25th May 2019, truck drivers in West Iran went on strike and protested against increase of fuel prices.
On 21st May 2019, workers of Azar Aab Co, which manages building power stations, in Arak in Markazi province, held an assembly and protested against non-payment of three months of their wages. Because of a successful history of protesting for their rights, including participation in protests by HEPCO workers in the city, governor of Arak, Hosein Bakhtiari, attended the assembly and announced payment of one months at the day, and promised payment for another month very soon. The workers say that the protest will continue if they are not paid.
On 21st May 2019, staff of Khomeinie Hospital in Karaj protested against non-payment of their wages. The workers marched in the streets and chanted “no governor, nor mayor care about healthcare”. The hospital’s staff have held several protests for their rights.
On 21st May 2019, a group of workers of Tehran Metro held an assembly in the building of Tehran Urban and Suburban Railway Operation Co and protested against conversion of their contracts from permanent to temporary.
On 22nd May 2019, workers of copper mines in Kooshk in Yazd province continued their forth day of strike that started in protest against lowering of their wages. The authorities have promised to discuss the issue in workers commission of the city.
On 22nd May 2019, workers of Iran Ghooti, food cans production, in Qazvin held another assembly in Alborz industrial complex and protested against lack of job security and the devastating situation they face. According to reports, the factory is shut and the workers owe months of their wages.
On 22nd May 2019, workers of Forest Protection in Mazandaran province, held an assembly in front of provincial governor’s office and protested against non-payment of 7 months of their wages. Also the workers face job-losses as the government implementing a new plan with regards to forest protection.
On 22nd May 2019, workers of crude-oil industry in Mahshahr in Khuzestan province, held another assembly and protested against privatisation of healthcare services of the industry.
On 22nd May 2019, seasonal sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan province, held an assembly and protested against non-payment of one month of their wages. The employers tell the 2,000 workers didn’t do enough work in March, but the workers say that they shouldn’t be denied wages because of the flood and heavy rain.
Revolutionary Guard Corps of Islamic regime and their fellow Islamist forces of Iraq open fire at unemployed workers (Back-bearers)
On 28th May 2019, the Hashd Shabi (The Popular Mobilization Forces) and Revolutionary Guard Corps of Islamic Republic of Iran, open fire at Back-bearers in Se-Chooman in borders of Iran and Iraq. Two Back-bearers were shot to death and three others were drowned after falling in the rivers. The firing started without any warning.
In 2018, more than 250 Back-bearers were killed and tens became disabled. In 2019, so far 50 have lost their lives and many injured.
The back-bearers are the unemployed workers do not receive any unemployment benefits or social services, so are left with no option but to carry-out the dangerous job. Some of the back-bearers are children.
In 2018, there was a general strike in Kurdistan in protest to attacks on the Back-bearers by the armed forces of Islamic regime, and now, after the recent killing of the unemployed workers, the people of the region are preparing for strike and protest.
Islamic Republic free arrested teachers after call for protest in Urmia in West Azerbaijan, Iran
Teachers in Urmia in West Azerbaijan called for an assembly on 23 May 2019, in front of the office of Education Ministry in the city to protest against arrest of their colleague, Yaser Amini.
The teachers called on teachers from their colleagues from nearby cities in the province and in Kurdistan to join the protest: “…do whatever you can to join the protest in Urmia. This gathering is very important and decisive for freedom of Yaser. His freedom or detainment is decisive in the fate of teachers. Tomorrow will be our turn if don’t stop it today!”
Yaser Amini was arrested by the agents of Ministry of Intelligence of Islamic Republic of Iran on 7th May 2019, as he left the school in Mahabad. His colleagues have started a campaign and circulating a petition along with video statements in his support.
A day after the call the authorities released Yaser and the protest was called off.
Yaser was arrested for participating in the teachers’ protests in which demands such as free and quality education for all the children, free healthcare for all, wage increase to above poverty line, end to embezzlements, and other legitimate demands were raised.
Retired teachers in Iran call for another protest
Retired teachers in Iran have called for another assembly on 21st May 2019, in front of Education Ministry in Tehran to protest against non-payment of their “Reward money” (yearly bonus that teachers receive). Teachers who wee retired in 2017 have not received the bonuses.
In 2018 over 800 retirees from different cities had made their way to Tehran to protest regarding the matter but the issue still stands. In the protest the retirees also raised other demands including free education for all the children, free healthcare for all, wage increases to above poverty line, and end to embezzlements.
Rail-workers and Nurses in Iran strike and protest against non-payment of wages
On 20th May 2019, rail-workers in some cities in Markazi, Lorestan and Azerbaijan provinces went on strike and protested against non-payment of their wages. In the past year there have been several strikes and protests in the industry against non-payment of wages.
On 18th May 2019, workers of hospital of petrochemical industry in Chamran city in Kuzestan province, went on strike and protested against the plans to handover the hospital to private sectors. The workers worry about their job security and income, as well as the future of the hospital and the services.
On 18th May 2019, nurses of Azadi Hospital in Tehran, went on strike and held an assembly in front of management office of the hospital and protested against non-payment of their extra work.
The nurses who are contracted by Tehran University of Medical Sciences, haven’t received any payment for their extra work since December 2018, also they owe half of the new year bonus.
He other issues the nurses have with the hospital include fairer contract, mention of holiday pay and payment for working on the weekend in their pay-cheque, and objection to increase of a shift length from 6.5 hours to 7 hours
Islamic Republic of Iran forced to release sugar cane workers
On the evening of 19th May 2019, all the sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan province who were arrested for protesting, were released on bail.
The workers had protest on 9th May 2019, against non-payment of wages, imposition of security atmosphere on the workplace, and for freedom of their leader, Esmaeil Bakhshi, and abolish of Islamic Councils.
The authorities tried to silence the workers by the arrests but that only resulted in a backlash, the workers made it clear that they would continue to protest until all of their colleagues are freed and all of their demands are met.
The workers also demand abolish of all the security cases against the workers, including Ali Nejati, a member of Haft Tapeh Syndicate, Esmaeil Bakhshi, leader of the workers, and Sepideh Gholiyan, the student who was arrested for attending the workers’ strike and rearrested for supporting Bakhshi’s claims of torture in custody.
The epidemic of non-payment of wages in Iran faces everyday strikes and protests
Almost every day in different parts of Iran workers go on strike and protest against non-payment of wages that has forced many to poverty. Many of the workers are already on below-poverty-line-wage and not receiving the money has immediate dire consequences for them and their families. Employers and authorities keep promising to pay the wages, and sometimes they do just so that the protests stop but the issue persist.
-On May 2nd 2019, a large group of teachers and retirees held an assembly in front of offices of Ministry of Education in various cities in Iran and protested for their long-standing demands which have been ignored by the authorities.
The Coordinating Council of Teachers Associations had called for the day of protest which was held in 37 provinces.
In Tehran, the security forces of Islamic Republic and the police prevented the people from filming the protest and tried to intimidate the teachers by taking pictures of the dissidents.
Despite the intimidations the protest went ahead as planned. The teachers and retirees called on the people to join them and chanted “our demand is your demand, join us!”
The security forces and the police attacked the protestors and arrested some but the teachers resited and chanted slogans against the oppressions and the arrests. So far, arrest of three members of Teachers Association have been confirmed: Rasool Badaghi, Mohamad Falahi, and Mojtaba Ghoreishian.
In Hamadan, the protestors also raised their demands and chanted slogans. One of the teachers in her speech emphasised on their rightful and justified demands and objection to the oppressions and arrests: “We declare that threats, intimidations, interrogations, arrests, fabrications, and imprisonments cannot silence an oppressed group. Enough of discrimination and injustice, we stand up to it and will not be silenced. The disgraced official and unofficial of the powers can’t force us to keep quiet whilst the thieves and corrupt who get astronomical salaries have turned the economy upside down.”
In several cities in Kurdistan the protesters also gathered. Red banner of “Free Education is right of all the children” and “Free jailed workers and teachers” were significant in the assemblies.
In Mashhad, the teachers and retires raised banners of “our demand is your demand, join us!”, “Workers, teachers, unite, unite!”, Jailed workers, jailed teachers, must be freed!”, “Incompetent minister, resign!”, Our enemy is right here, it’s lie that it’s in the US!”, “Free Education is right of all the children!”.
In Kermanshah, the protestors raised similar banners as well in criticism of the government and the Majles. A woman delivered a passionate speech: “With them it’s always been propaganda! Why should we keep quiet? On what cost? What are all the empty promises? We need action. We don’t need talks, theyhave been talimg for the past 40 years. There has been 400% inflation, we have nothing else to lose! Our demand is your demand, break the silence, don’t be fooled by the propaganda of the authorities!”
Teachers and retirees’ demands include:
Free education for all the children
End to making security cases for teachers and union activists
Quality education
Wage increase to above poverty line
End to privatisation of schools
Immediate and unconditional release of all the imprisoned activists