Retirees of the Social Security Organization and the steel industry held protest rallies on November 5 in several cities across Iran. At the same time, nurses and employees of the “Imam” hospital in Urmia continued their protests for the second consecutive day.
According to labor and retirees’ organizations, the retirees of the Social Security Organization held rallies in Kermanshah, Ahvaz, and Shush.
Some of their slogans included “We don’t tolerate oppression in our lives,”
“Death to this slavery,”
and “We haven’t seen justice, we won’t vote anymore.”
Based on the published images, retirees from the steel industry gathered in front of the retirement fund offices in Isfahan, Ghaemshahr, Shahrud, and Ahvaz.
In their Isfahan gathering, they spread an empty tablecloth and chanted slogans such as
“We haven’t seen justice, we’ve heard enough lies,”
“Promises are not enough, our table is empty,”
and “Incompetent manager, shame on you.”
Simultaneously, according to the Free Union of Iranian Workers, nurses, medical staff, and medical students at the “Imam” hospital in Urmia also gathered on Sunday for the second consecutive day, protesting the delayed paychecks, other financial demands, the method of salary calculation, and the neglect of their livelihood issues.
The worsening living conditions of retirees, workers, and other wage earners have led to the expansion of protests in Iranian cities in recent years.
On November 2, the state-run ILNA news agency reported that there is a possibility of a 20 percent increase in retirees’ pensions next year. However, retirees are protesting against this proposal as they consider it unfair, stating that a 20 percent increase does not even reach half of the poverty line.
According to ILNA, wage earners are concerned about the government’s proposal for a 20 percent increase in salaries next year, and this concern is not limited to employees and retirees under government agencies.
The news agency stated that a 20 percent increase in salaries can significantly reduce workers’ bargaining power for the 2024 wages.
Sowlat Mortazavi, the Minister of Labor, stated that wages are determined only once a year and thus rejected the possibility of wage adjustments and increases.
In the meantime, retirees from various sectors have gathered multiple times in front of the retirement fund offices in different Iranian cities, demanding that their pensions reach the poverty line and questioning why their pensions should be half the poverty line after 30 years.
Based on statistics announced by some members of the parliament in recent months, the cost of living in Tehran has been estimated to be over 300 million rials (approximately $582), and in other major cities in Iran, it ranges from 200 million to 250 million rials (approximately $388 to 485).
With a 20% increase, the monthly pension of a retiree will not even reach 110 million rials (approximately $213) next year, while the overall inflation rate has been much higher than 100 percent in the past two years.
ILNA quoted one retiree who said, “Statistics don’t matter. What I see in my life is that everything has become two or three times more expensive. Even the rent this year, landlords have increased it by more than 50 or 60 percent. What’s the fate of people like me? I have been living in the eastern part of Tehran for several years, however now I have to live in Islamshahr, southern Tehran. Even here, I can’t afford to rent a house. Where should I go in my old age? Should I pitch a tent in the park?”
Retired government employees gather every week in front of the Governorate building and other related government buildings to protest the non-implementation of the “adjustment” law, severe economic difficulties, and infringement of their rights.
Protests and strikes related to economic livelihoods by various trades and professions in Iran have been ongoing for several years, including retirees from the Social Security Organization, steel industry, telecommunications, educators, and government pensioners, who organize regular weekly protests in various cities.
