7 Steel Rolling Factory Workers Win Demands Following Successful Strikes

On May 24, 1200 Saveh Steel Rolling Factory workers went on strike followed by a second strike winning their demands. In the course of down sizing the factory, about 50 of the personnel have been laid off and cutting the contracts to three months and even monthly durations, the employer has created a massive atmosphere of job insecurity at the factory. Furthermore, the workers have been due seven months of back wages and for months the employer had not paid the health care contributions to the social security organization causing the workers to loose their health coverage.

On the start of the strike, 400 workers marched to Saveh governor’s office in the afternoon. The next day, workers stayed in the factory compounds until 10 p.m. at night attracting the retirees and other workers laid off in the past seven years to their gathering. The workers vowed to continue with the strike until five months of past dues were received.

On the fourth day of the st, the workers were locked down, causing the workers to continue with their protest at the factory gates. The workers were confronted with head of the Labor office and police chief as wells as deputy governor of Saveh asking the workers to end their gathering. A request declined by workers and them pushing forward with their protest. The workers later were informed that a month of back wages had already been deposited to their accounts and were asked to end their strike.

With one month wages deposited, the worker held a general assembly by the gates and decided to hold another strike on May 31 to receive the year end bonuses due and hold strikes every other 20th day until their past dues are received.

The workers stayed true to their decision and on May 31 went on strike again. The employer showed up at the workers’ gathering and promised additional payment of two months wages for bonuses on June 8. On workers demand to receive their past wages every 20th day, the employer promised to pay all the dues by July. The workers decided in their assembly to end the strike and wait for June 8 payments.

With payments not materializing, the workers went back on strike on June 9. While the employer did issue the bonus checks following the second strike, the workers decided not to go back to work until two months of back wages were paid and the employer issued written promises on the remaining four months back wages due.

Receiving two months back wages, the workers went back to work on June 10. Furthermore, the workers were to receive February wages on June 30, March payments on August 6 and April wages on August 22. All dues to be up to date by November of this year. Additionally, 26 workers who had filed the hazardous jobs enrollment were able to retire after 20 years of work.

Iran Labor Report