Official workers, scaffolding workers and overhaul workers in strike
Protests are spreading in various oil sectors in Iran:
1- At 10 a.m. today, June 29, a group of official oil workers gathered in front of the Ministry of Oil following a previously announced call to pursue some of their demands. A prominent demand of the official oil workers is that government to recognize the right organise. The demand for the recognition of the right to form independent organisation is an important demand and affects all the workers and reflects the organisation movement among the workers. At the same time, the official oil workers protest against officials’ thefts and embezzlements from the social security funds. They have emphasized the cutting off of non-oil institutions from the oil pension fund and the transparency of the pension fund’s financial operations. The workers also demanded the improvement and promotion of health services in the oil industry and other welfare services for the employees.
The general annual increase of only ten per-cents of wages, which is not comparable to astronomical inflation rate, is another issue of protest by the oil industry workers, who have called for the repeal of this decision. In addition, the official oil workers in their protest call emphasize the following: implementation of article 10 of oil industry about the payments, non-entry of agents from other organizations to oil centers, refund of overtime tax received from employees, full payment of end-of-service bonuses to retirees. The oil workers have declared that they will continue their strike until they get their demands in full.
2- Also, the strike of oil scaffolding workers continues, demanding an increase in wages and that the wages of any scaffolding worker should not be less than 25 million toman (about $600 a month) and 20 working days and ten days rest. The strike of scaffolding oil workers had been extended to 11 petrochemical complexes participated by several thousands of the workers..
3- Besides the above mentioned strikes. the Tehran refinery overhaul workers also have been on strike since June 27 in protest of forced overtime and low wages.
4- In addition, the official employees of the Ministry of Petroleum have called for a nationwide rally in front of the Ministry of Petroleum with their livelihood demands for ten o’clock in the morning on the 10th of July.
Thus, different sections of the oil workers are coming to the scene with their demands and protests. The protests are widespread among the workers in Iran, and by joining the oil workers the workers protets gets a powerful impetus and impact s all the society. Oil workers play a big role in the country’s economy, and their strike is receiving a great deal of public attention.
The oil workers as all sectors of the society are fed up with embezzlement, corruption and discriminations by the Islamic regime authorities and employers and contractors.