Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, June 27, 2021—A widespread strike by Iranian oil and petrochemical workers has entered it second week. The workers, who started their strike on June 19, the morrow of the regime’s sham presidential elections, are demanding better wages and working conditions. The workers are facing increasing pressure as a result of a declining economy caused from government corruption and the regime’s poor response to the Covid-19 outbreak, which has caused mass unemployment.
The worsening economic conditions have caused rampant inflation a rise in the prices of goods. Meanwhile, the workers wages have remained the same, and they are struggling to provide the most basic needs of their families.
The protesters stressed that they will continue their strike and will further expand them if their demands are not met.
Since the beginning of the strike, the movement has expanded to several cities and several thousand workers have joined. Workers from more than 60 companies have joined the strike.
On Sunday, a group of workers from the Bushehr petrochemical company declared that they will join the strikes.
June 27 – Bushehr, southern #Iran
More employees and workers from the Bushehr Petrochemical Company are joining the nationwide strikes. #IranProtests
#اعتصاب_سراسری #کمپین_۱۴۰۰pic.twitter.com/w6KSSjXwRH— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 27, 2021
A group of workers from three petrochemical companies in Abadan also declared their joining the movement.
“We will only return to work after our demands are met,” one of the workers said. “No one wants to remain idle in the current situation. Everybody has problems.”
June 27 – Abadan, southwest #Iran
Employees of a local refinery, associated to various companies, are joining the nationwide strike of oil, gas and petrochemical site workers.#IranProtests#اعتصابات_سراسری pic.twitter.com/2vML4q38xK— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) June 27, 2021
On Saturday, the workers of Shiraz oil refinery held a protest rally in front of the facilty and protested their low wages and poor working conditions.
In a statement on Friday, the striking workers declared, “We the contract workers of refineries, petrochemical companies, and powerplants, will resume our strike in protest to low wages, declining purchase power, and unkept promises [by authorities]. We will demand our rights by holding rallies in front of our working facilities.”
Mrs. Maryam Rajavi, the president-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), expressed her support for the striking workers. “I urge all youths in Iran to support the striking workers,” she said. “The continuation of the strikes and protests bespeaks of the Iranian people’s general will to overthrow the anti-labor clerical regime.”
The continuation of strikes and protests bespeaks of the Iranian people’s general will to overthrow the anti-labor clerical regime. #IranProtests
— Maryam Rajavi (@Maryam_Rajavi) June 26, 2021
The strike of the oil-sector workers is now getting support from different communities and segments of the Iranian society.
In a video message, two relatives of the victims of the Ukrainian airliner downed by the Revolutionary Guards in 2020 expressed their support for the strike of the oil-sector workers.
“As you have stood with us in the past year, we will stand with you in this nationwide strike,” they said.
