Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, November 9, 2020—On Sunday, November 8, workers of the Varna milk factory in the city of Varamin, southeast of Tehran, held a rally for the second consecutive day, protesting their job’s limbo status and their poor living conditions.
"So far, we have repeatedly appealed to government authorities and entities in the city of Varamin and Tehran province hoping for the factory’s reopening. However, we have yet to receive any response," said one of the protesting workers.
"Currently, about 200 workers of the factory, who are in poor living conditions after the closure of the Varna milk factory, are waiting for the facility to reopen," he added.
The factory has been closed since 2018 under the pretext of financial problems and lack of raw materials.
On Sunday, workers of the Varamin Sugarcube factory, many with 20 years of work experience, protested their continued unemployment.
"This factory faced a crisis in 2018 after it was transferred to the private sector and faced issues in supplying raw materials, including yellow sugar. The result was the factory’s closure and the workers being laid off," one of the protesting workers said.
He added that with the closure of this factory about 300 workers with 20 years of work experience lost their jobs.
"The experienced workers, who are still unemployed, are facing difficulties in making ends meet," he explained.
On Saturday, workers of Water and Wastewater Company (ABFA) in Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad provinces held a rally in front of the governor's office, the judiciary, and the Radio and Television office in the city of Yasuj. These rallies are following their widespread protests over their paychecks being delayed for six months, lack of employment contracts and the officials’ hollow promises.
"We gathered in front of the governor's office a few months ago. They paid a portion of our wages only when the media covered our protests. However, nothing has been done since then," said one of the workers.
“Due to the widespread coronavirus pandemic and the dreadful financial situation we are ashamed before our wives and children and cannot even buy a facemask, let alone put food on the table,” he added.
One worker said: In these difficult conditions corona women and children are ashamed we do not have the money to buy a simple mask, let alone that we want to fill our bellies of women and children.
On Saturday, November 7, members of the Workers' Housing Cooperative in the "Amir al-Momenin" area of Pakdasht, a city east of Tehran, held a rally in one of the city's main squares protesting the undetermined status of the lands they purchased from the cooperative.
Members of the Workers' Housing Cooperative in the ”Amir al-Momenin” area of Pakdasht, a city east of Tehran, protesting and demanding answers—November 7, 2020
Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company workers protesting in Shush, southwest Iran—November 8, 2020
On Sunday, November 8, a group of workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company resumed their protests rallies. Haft Tappeh, located in the city of Shush in Khuzestan province, is Iran’s largest complex Iran. The company workers have been regularly protesting delayed wages, poor working conditions, and unstable contracts. They chanted, “Workers may die but will not accept disgrace.”
“The ‘production leap’ slogan has turned into the embezzlement leap, corruption leap, misery leap, price hikes and more repression against Haft Tappeh workers by the state security forces,” said one of the workers at the company’s main gate.
