Pensioners in weekly rally: We will no longer vote, we have heard enough lies

Retirees and pensioners have been demanding that wages be brought into line with the cost of living in their weekly nationwide rallies in dozens of Iranian cities. Several protesters have reportedly been arrested in Rasht.

For months, pensioners and social security beneficiaries have been taking to the streets every Sunday to pursue their demands, gathering in front of the organization's offices or in front of the parliament, carrying pots and empty tables.

On Sunday, April 12, in a joint, nationwide action, dozens of Iranian cities witnessed nationwide gatherings of retirees protesting low wages that were disproportionate to costs.

The Social Security Organization is responsible for increasing retirement, general disability, and survivor pensions in proportion to the cost of living, in accordance with Article 96 of the Social Security Law. This increase must be made at specified intervals (at least once a year) and with the approval of the Council of Ministers.

This law has been ignored for years, and the pensions of Social Security retirees are not in the slightest proportion to the rapid inflation and their current expenses.

While the minimum subsistence basket ceiling has been set at 6 million 89 thousand tomans, most retirees receive less than this amount. They also want attention to the situation of the unemployed, survivors, and disabled, many of whom receive pensions below four million tomans.

Retirees say their salaries should be increased by 120% due to current inflation.

Protest rallies by social security retirees were held in cities such as Tabriz, Isfahan, Shiraz, Kermanshah, Sanandaj, Sari, Shahrood, Kerman, Ardabil, Shush, Karaj, Arak, Mashhad, Shushtar, Ahvaz, Neyshabur, Bojnourd, Rasht, Zanjan, Behshahr, and Qazvin.

In most cities, including Tabriz, protesters spread tables on the ground and chanted: "Promise, promise, enough - our table is empty."

In Qazvin, protesters chanted: "We won't vote anymore, we've heard enough lies."

Meanwhile, the website of the "Free Workers' Union" reported that police officers attacked the protesters in Rasht and arrested several people.

The slogan of retirees in Karaj was: "Our salaries are in rials, our expenses are in dollars."

Protesters in Tehran gathered in front of the parliament building and chanted: "Only on the street floor will we get our rights."

The Social Security Organization must increase pensioners' salaries every year based on real inflation and the cost of living, according to Article 96 of Law. The final statement of Sunday's rallies states: "We came to the streets the day we saw that the main owners of the fund have no role in making decisions and how to spend the capital of their youth and that of their fathers."

The statement also refers to the government's debt of 900 trillion tomans to the Central Bank and the government's responsibility for the growth of inflation: "The government has been in debt to social security for more than 14 years, and the debt has now reached more than 365 trillion tomans. Apart from this, the government has spent the same amount on establishing shasta companies and pocketed the huge income from them."

In addition to the slogans they chanted, the protesters emphasized in their final statement that they reserve the right not to participate in the June elections if their legal demands are not met.

The weekly protests of social security retirees continue, while over the past months, the Islamic Republic Radio and Television has not reported or provided any news about their demands and rallies.

Source: DW