Today, on the February 9th, retirees of the Social Security Organization, as on other Sundays, gathered in protest in front of this organization in the cities of Shush, Ahvaz, and Tehran. In Tehran, despite the snowfall, Social Security retirees, along with retired teachers, held placards expressing their demands and staged a protest.
In Ahvaz, retirees gathered in front of the governor’s office, with protest banners, including one that read “Workers and retirees, unity, unity,” drawing attention. The protesting retirees chanted slogans such as: “Our problem today is livelihood and healthcare,”, “The appointed government lies shamelessly,” “Shame on our state TV and radio,” “The labor minister stands with the government, his hand is in the people’s pockets,” “No humiliation, no disgrace, shame on this injustice,” and “When it’s our turn, the treasury suddenly goes empty.”
In Shush, retirees, as always, came together from Haft-Tappeh, Karkheh, and Shush cities, chanting: “Retirees, unite against poverty and corruption,” “Free imprisoned workers,” and “Nooroz Zabihi must be freed.” Nooroz Zabihi is a Social Security retiree who was arrested on Bahman (February 7th) for participating in retirees’ protests.
On this day, steel retirees also gathered in Isfahan and Ahvaz, chanting slogans such as “Retiree, speak out, shout for your rights” while pursuing their demands.
Protests against poverty, discrimination, government repression, embezzlement, and corruption are common themes among various retiree groups. Their shared demands include salary increases in line with inflation and above the minimum cost of living, free healthcare, the release of imprisoned workers and all political prisoners, and an end to government plundering and economic exploitation.
Among their immediate demands are the right to protest and assemble, full implementation of pension adjustments, payment of the remaining 25% of 2020’s arrears, and a New Year’s bonus equivalent to at least two months’ salary, similar to active workers.
Another protest-related news item concerns a demonstration by contract workers at the Negin Makran Petrochemical site yesterday. According to reports, after these workers went on strike on January 22, the project contractor responded by firing and threatening several workers, only paying workers wages for Mehr (September-October), and promising to pay the remaining wages for October, and the next months, However, the workers continued their strike and protest, demanding the reinstatement of their dismissed colleagues and the immediate payment of all overdue wages.
The latest news relates to a call for protest by the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations against prison sentences for five protesting teachers in Khuzestan, each sentenced to six years in prison. A section of their protest statement reads: “We, the signatories of this text, strongly support Mr. Pirooz Nami, Ali Koroshat, Siamak Sadeghi Chehrazi, Ms. Kokab Bedaqi Pegah (Khuzestan trade union activists), and Masoud Farikhteh (Alborz trade union activist) and demand the complete annulment of these sentences and their acquittal in the appeals court.” So far, several labor and social activists, as well as labor unions, have signed and joined this protest call.