Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, August 14, 2020—On Thursday, August 13, employees and workers of Iran’s oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries continued their strike for the thirteenth consecutive in cities checkered across the country.
Employers have reportedly contacting them the striking workers and promised a small wage increase. Some workers were offered up to 10 million tomans (≃435$), but the workers did not accept.
On Thursday, the striking workers at the “Bid Boland Gas Refinery” are still on strike and did not return to work despite all the promises. At the Bidkhoon power plant, the protesting workers continued their strike despite all the pressures.
The workers in #Iran's oil, natural gas and petrochemical industries and power plants continued their nationwide strikes and protests for the twelfth consecutive day on Wednesday.#IranProtestshttps://t.co/C8jMI1Ktie
— People's Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) (@Mojahedineng) August 13, 2020
The mullahs' regime, experiencing the 1979 revolution, is in a state of panic as oil sector workers in many cities begin and continue their protests and strikes. Regime officials are resorting to a variety of deceptive measures and lies to prevent the workers from continuing their strikes.
The anti-labor policies of this regime have left Iran’s workers and toilers desperate and barely making ends meet, and they are forced to protest and launch strikes to get their basic rights.
According to the mullahs’ own Labor Law, approved on November 20, 1990, any kind of sit-in, strike or demonstration is prohibited. Establishing any type of trade union outside the direct control of the government is seen as an attempt to overthrow the government.
Strike of workers of Jahan Ara Arvand Steel Factory in Khorramshahr
On Thursday, August 13th, workers at Jahan Ara Arvand Steel Factory in Khorramshahr, southwest Iran, went on strike protesting low wages. The striking workers are demanding higher wages.
Khorasan railway workers on strike
Workers of the Khorasan Railway gathered in front of the governor's office Mashhad, a major city in northeast Iran, on Thursday, August 13, protesting paycheck delays.
"The employer of these workers, Josh Gostar Tous, has only paid our May payment," said one of the workers present at the rally.
"Railway and technical workers, who often work outdoors in the summer heat and winter cold are exposed to serious health risks," he added. "These workers are often contract workers, do not have job security, and are deprived of the right of hard jobs and other benefits."
At the same time, workers of the Tehran electricity maintenance and railway facilities gathered in front of a local labor office, protesting the authorities' failure to respond to their demands.
These protesting workers chanted slogans and held placards reading, "Overdue retirement bonus, Failure to pay the claims of the Railway Employees Savings Fund, and failure to pay wages and bonuses of railway employees.”
On Thursday, August 13th, the workers of HEPCO in Arak, central Iran, protested in the factory yard due to the uncertainty of their job and livelihood, and hollow promises constantly provided by local officials.
