Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, August 29, 2020—On Thursday, August 27, a group of official railway workers in the two East and West Azerbaijan provinces located in northwest of Iran gathered outside the Railway Company building protesting delayed paychecks.
The workers were protesting delayed paychecks for two months. They are also pursuing other demands following the privatization of the company, such as officials’ refusal to pay their pensions in full to the National Pension Organization, and pension bonuses.
Shafa Rud Dam workers holding a protest rally in northern Iran—August 27, 2020
Workers of the Shafa Rud Dam in northern Iran did not go to work on Thursday protesting their paychecks being delayed for several months, and to raise other outstanding demands with dam officials.
The workers are saying that the officials’ refusal to pay their wages have created many problems for their families in this already difficult economic crisis.
In the city of Qazvin, northwest Iran, workers laid off from the Road Maintenance and Transportation Organization (RMTO) were protesting their limbo status and difficult livelihood on Thursday, August 27.
“According to the officials’ promise, the contract of the fired workers of Qazvin RMTO was to be extended by the end of 2020 and their delayed paychecks will be deposited to the account of the RMTO,” one of the protesting workers said.
These 50 workers have been laid off after the tolls were replaced with electronic devices five months ago and they are facing serious livelihood and economic problems. It is noteworthy that these fired workers have repeatedly held protest rallies in Qazvin and Tehran.
Municipality workers protesting in Khorramabad, western Iran—August 27, 2020
On Thursday, August 27, a group of District 2 municipality workers in the city of Khorramabad, western Iran, gathered in front of the local municipality building protesting officials’ refusal to deliver their paychecks for several months and municipality officials’ hollow promises.
“On Wednesday, we workers gathered in front of the central municipality demanding our paychecks that have been delayed for several months, so that the authorities might take action to solve our problems,” one protesting worker said.
“The previous contractor had not paid eight months of our wages related to 2017 and 2018, as well as five months of this year’s wages,” he added.
"This year about 170 workers are demanding five months of unpaid paychecks from the new contractor," said another worker.
“Whenever we ask for our salary they keep on providing hollow promises and saying maybe today or tomorrow. We have not been paid for five months. We have struggled to provide basic necessities for our families, and with these low salaries, we are working from mornings to evenings during the coronavirus crisis. Unfortunately, no one listens to us and the problems still remained,” he added.
“I pay at least three to four million rials (about $130-175) a month in commuting fees. Since I have not been paid yet, I constantly borrow money from my sister and brother. I started to work, hoping that they would insure me and that I would receive a salary. However, given the current situation, I really have no choice but to work here,” said another worker.
"We have had this problem of delayed paychecks for several years. We have not been paid for four months and we are living very difficult lives,” another protesting worker added.
Municipality workers protesting in Khorramabad, western Iran—August 27, 2020
