Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, August 18, 2020—Workers in Iran’s oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries continued their nationwide strikes and protests for the seventeenth consecutive day on Monday, August 17. Tens of thousands of workers in the oil and petrochemical industries and power plants throughout different cities participated in this strike.
On Sunday, many workers who had not stopped working joined the strike. The Mahshahr branch of Tehran Jonoob Company is completely shut down, and the contractor works with only five workers.
The Payandan contracting company, working on Phase 14 of the South Pars natural gas initiative, has paid delayed paychecks up to the end of July in order to satisfy its protesting workers. Other companies have also reported that most of the company’s managers have agreed to increase the workers’ salaries to 20 million rials (about $87) in order to end the workers’ strike. However, the strike has continued.
Protests by workers of Parsian Mehr refinery
About 200 workers of the Derakhshandeh contract company at the Parsian Mehr refinery in the towns of Mohr went on strike on Monday, closing half of the site as a result.
The Javar contracting company has also agreed to increase its workers’ wages of about 20 million rials for some workers and has brought new workers from elsewhere in a continuation of their deceptive measures.
Protests by workers in Arak, Ahvaz
Workers of HEPCO, Arak, continue their protests
Workers of the HEPCO company in the city of Arak, central Iran, continued their protest on Monday at the company premises. They protested uncertainties in their jobs and livelihoods, and hollow promises made by officials.
The protesting HEPCO workers say that despite promises from provincial officials to pay their wages, they had yet to receive their paychecks for the past two months up until Monday. “The CEO of the company is still ignoring our demands and has not returned to the company so far,” they added.
Protest rally by workers of HEPCO
A group of personnel at the Mir Hosseini Pumping Station of the “Zolal Iran Company” gathered on Monday, protesting not receiving their paychecks for the past several months.
The protesters demanded payment of six months of due wages and insurance premiums to the Social Security Organization. The staff of the Mir Hosseini Pumping Station say that the company officials’ failure to pay their wages in the current economic conditions have created many problems for their families. The staff also added that many of them are tenants and have lost the ability to provide for their daily expenses.
Protest rally by workers of Mir Hosseini pumping station
From Wednesday, August 12, workers of the Safireh waste site in Ahvaz, southwest Iran, have been protesting in front of the municipality building due to uncertainties in their job status and livelihoods.
One of the workers present at the gathering said that every year, when their contractor is changed, they face delays in their paychecks. These workers have not received their salaries since March.
Their wages should be increased according to the law, he continued, adding that their paychecks would increase to 25 million rials. However, the contractor claims that he can only pay 20 million rials (about $109). Furthermore, the contractor has not paid their premiums for the past four months.
Workers of the Safireh waste site in Ahvaz
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers continue their strike for the 64th day
The workers of Haft Tappeh sugar cane company continue their strike for 64th day
Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company continued their protest rally on Monday outside the governorate of Shush (a city in southwest Iran).
The protesters’ main demands include receiving their delayed paychecks, resolving their employment status issues, finalizing the company’s status quo, their fired colleagues should return to work, renewing their medical booklets that have expired and preventing further plundering of their company under the pretext of privatization.