Petition by 10,000 Workers Delivered to the Labor Minister

According to the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), more than 10 thousand workers from industrial production facilities in five states in Iran have sent a petition to the minister of labor protesting the effects of the elimination of the subsidies program on their lives. The signing of the petition initiated by the Free Union of Iranian workers began on May 1 and more signatures are on the way.

According to the Free Union of Iranian Workers, workers from factories such as Pars Carpet, Ir Saco, Yazd Kavir Tiles, Alborz Tires, Farnakh, Naznakh, Iran Choub, Yazd Profil, Metal Works Industires No. 1, Shahid Ghandi, Iran Riseh, Taktaz Motors, Metal Works Industries No. 2, Construction Workers, Nurses and hospital workers of several hospitals in Tehran, Yazd railways, Tehran Vahed Bus Company, Yazdbaf Textiles, southern Petrochemical complexes such as Bandar Imam, Karoun, etc., Alborz Nakh, Pars Nonflamable Processing Company and other factories in the city of Saveh are among the signatories of the petition.

Earlier ILNA had reported that workers were looking to gather about 2 thousands petitions on the petition. The signing of the petition started

The text of the petition is as follows:

To The Secretary of Labor, Welfare, and Social Welfare

As we all are aware and know, with the commencement of the first phase of elimination of the subsidies, a year and a half ago, the main staples have had several fold increase in prices. This is while during this period, the average wages of the workers in the current and the previous year have even decreased compared with the years prior to implementation of the subsidies cut program. In addition, during this period, with 4 and then 5 percent tax on consumer goods, practically about 5 percent of our daily sub-poverty wages are going to the government coffers.

Not paying the sub-poverty wages of the workers on time is rampant. Along with this dismal and unbearable situation on the wages, a much anti-labor amendment to the labor law endangering the job security and lives of the workers have been prepared and is to be soon sent to the parliament.

The average final years wages to calculate the retirement allowances have been changed from two to five years which has resulted in drastic fall in retirement payments. The unemployment benefits for construction workers despite their registrations and payments have not yet been finalized and the contracting companies continue to usurp the workers toils. Job insecurity, layoffs, plant closures are in worst shape compared to the years prior.

Undoubtedly, not only us workers but also no just and noble human being tolerates these conditions for millions of workers and their families. Thus, we workers signing this petition as an urgent and very important step to end the current dire situation, insist on increasing the minimum wages based on the existing inflation rate and meeting the needs of a four member family household with the participation of the public assemblies of workers representatives based on the average wages in the last five years.

We workers ask for speedy implementation of construction workers unemployment benefits and the decree by the council of ministers on elimination of intermediary contracting companies and signing of direct and permanent contracts with the workers and foundation of the necessary laws for on time payment of the workers wages and persecution of the employers who force workers to work without contracts or blank signature contracts or unpaid wages.

Source: Iran Labor Report