Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, January 25, 2021—The drivers of Shahdab Company in the northern Anomaly, Kerman province, have been on strike for several days. On Saturday, January 23, after they were not allowed to enter the mine, they held a protest rally in front of Bafgh county’s governor's office.
“The super heavy truck driver is working in this mine with a base salary of 19 million rials (about $82),” one of the drivers said. “Our monthly income is 35 million (about $152) to 50 million (about $217) rials. We have been working for nine months only with hollow promises.”
“Drivers work three shifts with only 20 minutes of recess time. We work with heavy machinery, but our job bonus is low. The word ‘educational’ is mentioned in our contract. Is it possible that a driver with 10 years of experience is still training while the training classes have been completed for 15 days without any salary?” one of the drivers said.
Nurses at Milad Hospital in Tehran held a protest rally
Nurses at Milad Hospital in Tehran held a rally on Sunday, January 24, protesting their working conditions.
Nurses said that they have not been paid their coronavirus response bonus. They demanded the implementation of nursing laws.
"Our special nursing bonus has not been paid for a long time and the salaries of nurses have not been increased." These nurses said.
Nurses at Milad Hospital in Tehran had previously held a protest rally in December 2020, demanding a raise in their salaries and the payment of their coronavirus response bonuses. Meanwhile, the hospital's CEO claims that because it is a private hospital, it does not have enough income to pay the nurses’ coronavirus bonuses.
The nurses were changing “Sacrifice should not be rewarded with disrespect and salary reduction” and “Increasing job bonus is our legitimate right.”
Railway workers in the city of Arak on strike
Contract workers of the Josh Gostar company who work in the railway company in the city of Arak, Markazi province, central Iran, went on strike on Sunday, protesting their delayed paychecks.
The protesting workers held a rally in front of the central building of the Arak Railway Administration, demanding two months-delayed wages and payment of their insurance premiums to the Social Security Organization’s account.
The workers also held placards and chanted slogans, demanding the eviction of the company’s private shareholders and owners.
State media warn about explosive state of the society
On Sunday, several state-run newspapers warned about the consequences of the Iranian regime’s continued defiance of the international community and the increasing pressure that regime policies are posing Iranians.
In an article titled “The people want to return to their normal lives,” the daily Arman wrote: “If these policies continue, we will witness strong reactions from the people, which can have a high cost for the country.” In another article, Arman wrote, “Due to economic, health, and livelihood issues, we need to reduce tensions and improve our relations with the international community.”
