Reports indicate that on October 7, workers at the Qeshm oil refinery construction project went on strike and held a protest over more than two months of unpaid wages, while other protest gatherings were also held in Shiraz, Eslamshahr, and Ahvaz.
Workers at the 60,000-barrel-per-day refinery under construction on Qeshm Island went on strike and gathered in front of the company to protest unpaid wages dating back to July.
According to this independent labor organization, about 400 refinery workers have fallen into unbearable living conditions due to unpaid wages.
Workers, Retirees, Employees, Farmers, And Drivers Hold Protest Rallies In Various Cities of Iran
Some refinery workers said that many of them do not even have bread to eat at home, and some, in worse economic situations, spoke tearfully about being unable to buy school clothes for their children.
Following the strike and protest, the site supervisor of Narghan Company appeared before the workers and, showing indifference to their “miserable condition,” announced, “The manager is still in Tehran, and there will be no money for at least two more weeks,” which sparked strong objections from the workers.
The workers stated that they will continue their strike until their demands are met.
Meanwhile, according to the state-run ILNA news agency, employees of the Shiraz Oil Refinery held their fourth protest rally in the past two weeks.
The workers said: “We have already gathered three times, but our voices have not been heard.” They added: “After the third protest, senior managers, instead of addressing our rightful demands, retaliated by disciplining several senior employees and taking back the official cars, they used for work purposes.”
The nonpayment of wages and benefits, as well as labor-related problems across Iran, have led to months of protests by workers and wage earners. They have used various methods such as strikes and gatherings to demand their wages, benefits, and better working conditions.
Separately, ILNA reported that a group of contract oil and gas workers sent a letter to the Administrative and Recruitment Organization, demanding the immediate implementation of the plan to regulate employment and eliminate intermediary contracting companies.
In part of their joint letter, they wrote: “For years, the promise of ‘regulating contract workers’ has been on the agenda of successive governments, but unfortunately it has never been implemented. While a large portion of core government duties is performed by contract workers, this hardworking group receives the lowest pay, benefits, and job security.”
The letter also mentioned the identification of more than 700,000 contract workers and stressed the need to implement the plan to regulate and change their employment status.
In another report, ILNA quoted a labor source from the technical infrastructure division of Eslamshahr Railway, saying: “The wages of the project-based workers in the Eslamshahr railway infrastructure have been delayed for three months, causing many difficulties for them.”
These project-based workers are employed under the supervision of the Travers Company in the Eslamshahr railway zone and several other rail regions across Iran.
Also, according to social media reports, retired and active oil industry workers in Ahvaz gathered in front of the Security Department of the National Iranian South Oil Company to protest their unmet demands.
They chanted slogans such as “Workers and retirees—rise up against injustice and discrimination.”
Retirees from various sectors have been holding weekly protest gatherings on different days in recent years.
