Workers’ protests in the last two weeks (March 5 -19 2023)
The Persian year of 1401 (Mar 21, 2022 – Mar 20,2023) which has been called the year of Iranian Women-Led Revolution around slogan of “Woman Life, Freedom” is coming to end, and workers, teachers, retirees and protesting people in Iran welcome the new year with continuing their protest ultimatums. Protesting poverty and low wages is an important axis of protests. Protesters who have no confidence in the Islamic government, declare their determination to overthrow the Islamic Regime to fight back against extreme poverty, corruption, and inflation. The latest news from the labor protests of the last two weeks include:
On March 19, 2023, social security retirees staged protests in cities such as Shush, Ahvaz, and Shushtar to protest poverty and to pursue their demands. Their previous gathering was on March 12, and in addition to the above cities, social security retirees in Kerman and Kermanshah, protested against the expensiveness and inflation, and demand access to free medical system and the right to a decent human life and express their determination to overthrow the Islamic regime of Iran.
On March 16, 2023, teachers gathered in front of the Ministry of Education in the city of Marivan protesting as the Islamic Regime did not meet their demands for improving their living and working conditions and increasing oppression against the teachers.
On March 15, 2023, Hossein Ramezanpour, a teacher and activist of the teachers’ union in Bojnord, was arrested and sent to prison.
On March 15, Sepideh Gholian, a well-known civil activist who was arrested during the strike of workers of Haftepeh Sugarcane Cultivation and Industry Company, was arrested again a couple of hours after her release from Evin Prison. After being released in front of Evin Prison, Sepideh Gholian chanted a protest slogan against Khamenei and she wrote in her Instagram: “After 4 year and 7 months, I was released from prison. This time I have come out hoping for the freedom of Iran. Hoping for the release of my dear politically imprisoned friends.” Her freedom made everyone happy. However, according to reports, while Sepideh Gholian and her family were planning to travel to her hometown, Dezful city, some cars of the 20 security forces stopped them on the Qom-Arak Road and arrested her again.
On March 14, 2023, seasonal workers at Haftappeh Sugarcane Cultivation and Industry Company, stopped working in protest of temporary labor contracts and their poor livelihoods following their protest on March 10. They rallied and demanded for better work and living conditions.
On March 14, 2023, Khuzestan Steel factory retirees protested against management corruption, their poor livelihoods, and the lack of end-of-service bonuses, according to an earlier call against the steel factory.
On March 14, 2023, in Shiraz, truck drivers went on strike to protest the increase in municipal tolls and inflation.
On March 13, 2023, telecommunications retirees gathered in front of the Ministry of Communications building in Tehran to follow up their Monday’s protest demands and also the retirees from 14 other cities gathered in front of telecommunications buildings in protest of their poor livelihoods and inflation.
Following chain poisoning in girls’ schools in Iran which was deliberate and successive incidents started on December 9, 2022, by government criminals continue up to now. On March 13, 2023, Vahdat junior high school in Kani-Sur rural district of city of Baneh and two other girls’ schools (Pooyandeh & Shahid Ehdaee in the city of Mahshahr were targeted by attacks and a number of female students were poisoned and taken to hospitals. The deputy health minister, Saeid Karimi., reported that 13000 students have been poisoned by the regime. The parents of the students are concerned about the safety of their children and they blame the Islamic Regime for these series of chemical terrorist attacks. The parents and teachers unified and organized a protest condemning the Islamic regime by calling it” Child Killer regime”. At the same day, in the city of Mashhad, in protest of chemical attacks on schools, a group of youths held a protest in front of one of the regions of the Department of Education.
On March 13, 2023, the workers and employees of Ilam Cement factory gathered to protest the low level of their salaries, the temporary hiring and their poor livelihood.
On Saturday, March 11, 2023, the entire medical staff of Tehran Clinic hospital resigned in protest against the poor livelihoods and the low level of salaries and the heavy pressure of work and demanded the resignation of the Health Minister. While they were protesting peacefully, the government’s security forces attacked them and tried to disperse them. Also, on this day, medical staff and staff of Ilam University of Medical Sciences gathered in front of the university headsquares.
On March 7, 2023, the workers of Gachsaran Petrochemical Company went on strike to protest the unpaid two-month wages in arrears and the poor security environment of their workplaces. These workers had previously gathered and went on strike on March 2, 2023.
Free Them Now (FTN)
March 19, 2023