Iranian authorities’ mismanagement and failures placed workers in dire living conditions. In this respect, there has been no day without protests and strikes across Iran. In fact, while the third wave of Covid-19 claims more lives every day, the army of hunger workers has no choice but to raise their voice for fundamental rights.
According to reports obtained by activists and tallied by Iran News Update, impoverished employees and workers hold at least four protests in different Iranian cities. The demonstrations follow as:
Protesting Rally by Workers of Technical Buildings of Southeastern Railways
A number of workers of technical buildings of southeastern railways held a protesting rally. They demanded employers to serialize the workers’ shift in the railway area of Kerman-Zahedan.
“There are 270 contract workers. In such a status quo, while the number of coronavirus patients is increasing every day, we have to attend the workplace due to the employer’s pressure and fear of dismissal. We must participate in our work without any preemptive equipment to make ends meet,” a worker said.
Notably, workers say the company directors and staff participate in the place every other day. Also, a day earlier, Abdolhamid Shahouzehi, 40, lost his life to the coronavirus after enduring pain and suffering for two weeks. He was an experienced contract worker in technical buildings of the southeast of Zahedan city, the center of Sistan and Baluchestan province.
Protesting Rally by Farmers in Isfahan
In the Khorasgan district, eastern Isfahan, farmers held a rally, protesting water transfer from the Zayandehroud river. They gathered in Pezoh square, demanding authorities to stop the process.
The government transfers the water of Isfahan’s main river while the province, particularly Isfahan city residents, experienced unprecedented drought in recent years. In this context, they time and again rallied and even destroyed transferring equipment and pipes. However, the State Security Forces (SSF) violently suppressed their protests every time.
Protesting Rally by Seasonal Workers of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Complex in Khuzestan
In the city of Shush, Khuzestan province, the managing board of Haft-Tappeh Sugarcane Complex fired many workers under the excuse of finishing the period of their contracts. The managers dismissed many workers without any financial support while they already protested unpaid salaries and pensions.
Following the managers’ orders, fired workers held a rally in front of the company’s bureau, although they were likely to be suppressed by the oppressive SSF. In fact, the complex took revenge on workers’ protests for several months, which attracted public attention to the complex’s unfair and unjust policies against workers.
“According to Amili Bahari, seasonal workers of the factory became unemployed. He told workers that ‘your contracts have been finished. Go to your homes. I’ll be calling you,’” reported the Workers’ Independent Channel, a non-profit Telegram Channel updates the workers’ conditions.
Rally of Job-Seeker Youths in Khuzestan
In the city of Behbahan, Khuzestan province, a number of youths, who were seeking a job, gathered in front of the Bidboland-No. 2 refinery’s gateway. They protested unemployment and the lack of jobs in the oil-rich province of Iran.
