On 16 September, 2018, around 200 retired textile workers of Iran Poplin, protested in Rasht, North Iran, against actions of major shareholders with regards to non-distribution of workers’ equity rights.
The workers who protested in front of the factory stated that in 1988 shares were sold to 1160 workers in the factory but they never received any profit. Also, recently the major shareholders, without letting the workers know, sold lots of equipment and kept all the money for themselves.
Despite several announcements of rise in profit by the management, every time the workers asked for their share they faced rejection and excuses of financial crisis and lack of profit by the directors of the business.
The major shareholders of the factory include Central Bank, Meli Bank, Melat Bank, and Saderat Bank.
-On 16 September, 2018, construction workers of municipality of Abadan, South Iran, blocked entry and exit roads to municipality. The workers protested their three months delayed wages.
At the same time, another group of workers gathered in front of Construction Corporation building of municipality.
As the academic year starts, the workers can’t afford to send their children to school because of non-payment of their wages.
Some of the workers has the right to retire but they can’t since the employers refuse to pay their retirement pensions.
-On 15 September, 2018, workers and employees of Abadan (in South Iran) municipality, including fire fighters held assembly in front of the municipality office and protested their four months delayed wages.
At the same time, construction workers of municipality built embankment at the entrance of Construction Corporation of municipality to express their objection to delay in payment of their wages. News of the protest was widely shared in the city.
-On 15 September, 2018, petrochemical workers of Bandar Imam in South Iran went on strike to protest low wages and economical pressure on workers. Director of Human Resources of the corporation attended the workers’ assembly and promised to pursue the workers’ demands. The striking workers agreed to return to work for now.
-On 15 September, 2018, expelled workers of Pars Milang (car parts factory) in Takestan, Iran, gathered in front of their factory to protest dismissals and non-payment of arrears. The workers had demanded reinstatement of their contracts and payment of their wages. Despite 15 to 20 years experience in the factory, the workers’ contract were not renewed in August 2018, and the company has refused to pay its debts to the workers. The workers haven’t been paid for four months, as well as two months from previous years. Pars Milang workers started their protest from 10 September, 2018.
-On 12 September, 2018, workers of Southern Pars refinery in Takestan, Iran, went on strike in objection to their delayed wages. After four days of strike the workers and employers have not come to agreement over payment of delayed wages.
-On 12 September, 2018, strike of 1000 workers of Chamshmgir power plant and dam in Kohgiloyeh and Boirahmad in Iran, in objection to 10 months of delayed wages entered its forth day. Under pressure by the workers, the governor of Gachsaran promised payment of half a month from a year before, that the workers regarded as “shameful”.
– September 11, 2018, hundreds of retired workers protest in front of Planning and Budget office in Tehran, Iran. The retired workers chanted “poverty line of 5 million (Iranian currency), our right 2 million”, “our wages in Rial, our expenses in Dollar”, and other slogans that highlighted their harsh financial conditions. The workers also shouted slogans against corruption and ongoing embezzlement. In the protest the workers raised banners against imprisonment of teachers and workers, as well as the issues with regards to poverty. Retired workers also held assemblies in Mashhad and Yazd. In Yazd Director and deputy director of organisation of Education tried to justify government’s position on the issues that didn’t convince the protesters and didn’t stop the assembly.
-On 11 September, 2018, dismissed workers of Pars Milang factory in Takestan protested against their expulsion. A day before, the workers had held an assembly in objection to delayed wages, that resulted in acceptance of the employer to pay four months of the delayed wages. The workers resumed the protest as the employer, Pars Milang factory, announced termination of their contracts. Workers of the factory have been working there for 15 to 20 years and some of them are about to retire.
-On 10 September, 2018, workers of Chamshir dam hold assembly in front of their workplace in objection to non-payment of their wages.
-On 9 September, 2018, majority of workers in industrial estates (1, 2 and 3) in Sanandaj, Kurdistan, Iran went on strike in objection to closure of their their workplaces and threat of job loss.
-Many workers in Iran are in danger of losing their jobs, as factories are sold or closed down. At the same time employers refuse to pay salaries they owe to the workers.
-In Sanandaj, the striking workers blamed the government and a “bunch of capitalists” for the financial crisis, which “the workers shouldn’t pay for”.
-On 5 September 2018, workers of municipality and district government employees protested in front of municipality building against government’s failure to pay their salaries for months. The workers face many difficulties because of delayed salaries and wages.
-On 4 September, 2018, municipality workers of two districts in Abadan, Iran, went on strike to protest their four months delayed salary.
The contractual workers held the assembly in front of central municipality office that forced the officials to pay for one month of the delayed salary within two days.
-On 4 September, 2018, workers of milk industry, Shir Pegah, held an assembly in Tehran Pars to protest occupation of their land. According to reports, 20 years ago the company provided 150 hectare land to 700 workers in Tehran Pars county but the land has been seized by a state institution, and despite court order in favour of the workers, no one answers the workers and their land stays occupied.
-Petrochemical workers of Farabi corporation in repository sections enter their fifth day of strike.
The workers protest the failure of management to implement business classification scheme, which is in fact about low wages.
By excuse of “economical crisis”, “shortage of raw material”, and “liquidity”, many factories have stopped production and threatened workers with closure of factories and unemployment whilst investors and owners make a fortune.
The threats and financial pressure caused by enormous growth of costs has resulted in widespread protests of workers who blame the state, the capitalists, and all the capitalist system.
Workers Solidarity Network of the Middle East and North Africa