Workers' protests spread to various provinces of Iran

Following a nationwide strike by thousands of workers in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries in more than eight provinces of Iran, dozens of labor organizations at home and abroad supported the strikers on Monday, July 27. At the same time, nationwide protests are underway in other industries, including agriculture, animal husbandry, and the dairy industry, as well as among groups of bereaved workers and retirees in various cities across Iran.

• Global support for nationwide strikes by Iranian oil industry workers

More than 80 trade unions and labor organizations in different countries that are members of the "Global Trade Union Network of Solidarity and Struggle" issued a statement in support of the workers and the Organizing Council of Contractual Oil Workers' Strikes in Iran.

Previously, Swedish labor unions and the General Union of Iraqi Oil and Gas Workers had supported the strike of Iranian oil industry workers.

• Trade unions: Everyone should join the nationwide strikes in the oil industry

Several trade unions and labor organizations in Iran, including the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers’ Union, the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company Workers’ Union, the Pensioners’ Union, and the Islamshahr Educationalists’ Union, have issued a joint statement supporting the strike of workers in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries. Part of the statement emphasizes that “we call on all workers, retirees, teachers, students, intellectuals, artists, journalists, and all hardworking and honorable men and women of society to support this just labor movement and to help the striking workers achieve their demands, which are the demands of all workers.”

The Organizing Council for the Protests of Contractual Oil Workers also emphasized in its third statement that they have implicitly threatened the striking workers that there should be no gathering, and that if there is a gathering, the issue will go beyond the level of demands and become political. The Organizing Council had previously announced that in addition to the striking workers, “official colleagues” in the Ministry of Oil will also go on strike on June 9th, and that “if the demands” of the workers are not met by the end of August, the scope of the strikes will be expanded.

Also, 230 human rights, political, and civil rights activists from various intellectual spectrums inside and outside Iran issued a statement supporting the workers' strikes.

Part of their statement of support states that, from a national and civil rights perspective, striking workers "must enjoy the right to free and independent association, appropriate wages and other union and welfare benefits, standard conditions of work protection and safety, and so on."

According to the Entebakh website, Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, in response to nationwide strikes in the oil industry, said that these protests have nothing to do with the 2014 budget and are related to the labor law.

According to the report, the Minister of Oil emphasized that "according to the labor law, we will pay them whatever they are entitled to, but their extralegal requests are another matter."

Prince Reza Pahlavi has supported nationwide protests by oil and gas industry workers in various cities in Iran and has called on these protesters to maintain their solidarity.

He posted a message on social media to the workers of refineries and power plants who have been protesting in various cities of Iran in recent days by joining the nationwide campaign "Twenty-Two 1400", writing: "I am closely following your proud solidarity and unity in this widespread civil disobedience. Maintain this unity and solidarity until your rightful demands are achieved. Know that the Iranian nation is with you."

According to reports, in recent days, in continuation of nationwide strikes by workers in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries in Iran, employees of several companies, including workers at Diyar Khodro Company in Golpayegan, have also stopped working in protest of non-payment of wage arrears.

It is said that workers from Sazeh Pad Company at the Bushehr Petrochemical Plant, radiology engineers in Assaluyeh and Abadan, and employees of Gamma Company at the Jask terminal have also joined the ranks of the strikers.

Those who lost money at the Azuco company also chanted slogans against Ebrahim Raisi, accusing the judiciary of ignoring widespread embezzlement.

Yesterday, in a symbolic act, farmers poured milk on the street to protest the higher cost of milk than the government-approved price, saying that the price of milk has become cheaper than straw.

Source: Voice of America