Iran Labor Report
Workers at Khatoon Abad Copper went on Strike on April 24 protesting their employment status. About 300 strikers closing down the gates of Khatoon Abad Copper Complex located in the suburbs of Shahre Babak in Kerman province did not allow entrance of raw materials to the compounds for six days. On April 30, special guard units attacked the strikers. The workers, however, took their sit-in inside the compounds and continued with their strike.
According to the reports by local Mahan News, the protesting workers in two complexes, Khatoon Abad Copper Complex and Midok number around 2400. The workers since two years ago, following the administration ratification on elimination of intermediary contracting companies and direct employment of workers became part of Sarcheshmeh Copper Investing Company. Sarcheshmeh, in its place, in a contract with the workers promised to sign employment contracts with them after one year.
With 18 months passed, the workers still remain without direct official contracts. In 2004, an attack by security forces on Khatoon Abad Copper miners resulted in four deaths.
