Steel Workers Strike Resumes

Iran Labor Report

According to the reports by the Free Union of Iranian Workers, Safa Rolling Pipe factory workers in the city of Saveh have resumed with their strike over six months back wages.

1200 steel workers went on a four-hour strike on December 29 ending it following management’s promise to pay one month of their back wages. They then vowed to go on strike the next day in case their one month wages were not paid by that day’s very midnight.

The following day, with no action taken by the employer, the workers took their protests to the governor’s offices at 4:00 p.m. With the refusal of the state officials to receive the workers representatives, the workers attempted to block the roads around the governor’s office. At 5:30 p.m., the governor of Saveh state came to the workers gathering and announced the participation of Rostami Safa – the employer at Saveh Profiles and Safa Rolling Pipes factories – in a meeting at the governor’s office on January 1 and agree to pay one month of back wages, return to work of 20 Saveh Profiles expelled workers and subsequently called for an end to the strike.

The workers, however, stressed on six months of their back wages dues and their determination to continue with their strike. The workers chose 10 representatives to meet with Rostami Safa at the governor’s office for the said meeting.

On December 31, the strike continued with the workers putting tires on fire, closing the gates of the plant. Fire trucks along with security forces asked the workers to take their protest inside the plant compounds. The strike continued with more gate closures in the afternoon of that day.

On the forth day of the strike, 250 engineer and skilled personnel at the factory joined the strike, closing the plant gates similar to the previous day’s action. The workers representatives met as planned with the governor with Rostami Safa not showing up. The governor in an hour and a half meeting on that day talked of holding State Security Council meeting on January 5 making Rostami Safa committed to pay the back wages and the authority of his office to even arrest him in case he did not fulfill his promises.

The workers delegates declared that they will continue the strike and will end it as soon as six months back wages are paid. The workers did resume with their strike.

On the eighth day of the strike, Rostami Safa, the owner, showed at the workers protest gathering making promises and encouraging the workers to end their strike. In a 2.5 hour meeting with the workers’ representatives, he made promises of paying August and September wages and October and November wages in February with December and January wages to be paid in March along with yearly bonuses and the February and March wages to be paid after that.

The workers hearing the promises from their representatives decided not to stop the strike and make a decision in a general meeting later.