Abadan Municipality Worker Who Self-Immolated Dies

Zamel Azarbaijan, a worker for Abadan Municipality, who set himself on fire in protest against unpaid wage arrears in front of the city’s municipal office, has passed away.

The municipal worker set himself ablaze on the afternoon of Ordibehesht 31st, and along with another colleague who was burned while attempting to save his life, was immediately transferred to the Burns and Injuries Hospital in Ahvaz.

According to Iran’s ILNA news agency, citing one of the worker’s colleagues, after the tragic incident that befell two of their coworkers and ultimately resulted in the death of one of them, the employer paid all outstanding wage claims owed to Abadan Municipality workers at once.

Multiple months of unpaid wages and the economic hardships of workers in recent months have led to continuous protests and strikes in various parts of Iran.

Among the most recent labor protests was the action by workers at Hapco Factory in Arak, which resulted in a change of factory management by the government; however, 10 protesting workers were also summoned to judicial authorities.

Some reports indicate that approximately six thousand labor gatherings have been held over the past year, mostly in protest of unpaid wages for several months, mass layoffs, uncertainty following the privatization of factories, and low wages.

Source: Voice of America