Simultaneously with the protest gathering of retirees from the national pension and social security system in at least three cities, Yazd, Kermanshah, and Ahvaz, and ongoing protests by workers, the people of Arak also raised slogans against the “mazut burning” at the Shazand power plant.
Based on images and videos released, protesting retirees in Yazd on March 5 gathered in front of the National Retirees Organization, holding placards emphasizing their demands, including the adjustment of pensions according to the costs of living, supplementary insurance, and addressing livelihood issues.
Retirees in Ahvaz and Kermanshah resumed their weekly protests to reiterate their demands for higher pensions. On the other hand, workers in various locations have gone on strike in protest of insufficient wages.
According to semiofficial ILNA news agency, some workers at the MDF factory in Haft Tappeh (southwest Iran), who have been protesting since last week, demanded increased wages through the implementation of job classification, bonuses, and other job-related benefits.
According to this report, the removal of volumetric contracts, payment of delayed paychecks, amendment of job titles in the insurance list, and an increase in the workforce are among the other demands of the workers of the MDAF Haft Tappeh factory.
Some workers and technical maintenance personnel of the railway also went on strike due to the non-payment of salaries and bonuses.
Meanwhile, ILNA news agency reported on the protest of a group of nurses and medical staff at a hospital in Kahnuj, located in Kerman province (southeast Iran).
According to this report, the protesters, criticizing the non-receipt of overtime and delayed benefits, have signed a petition stating that they cannot continue to provide services to patients under the current conditions.
On March 2, the Eghtesad24 website reported on the “widespread class gap” in Iran, emphasizing that “half of Iran’s population is below the absolute poverty line.”
The state-run Shargh newspaper also wrote on February 28, referring to the severe economic situation of the people and the regime’s claimed solutions, stating, “It seems we are not far from receiving loans to buy bananas, flour, or milk.”
On the other hand, a group of residents of Arak took to the streets to protest against the mazut burning at the Shazand power plant. This is the eighth protest gathering in Arak is considered against mazut burning.
