A Hepco worker attempted suicide during a protest rally.
A worker at the Hepco factory in Arak attempted suicide during a protest rally by the workers.
The Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, reported that the factory's workers gathered in front of the company's building in Arak on Sunday, May 13, in continuation of their efforts to press for their union demands.
During the rally, one of the company's workers stood on a bridge and attempted suicide, but people present there prevented the attempt.
The factory's workers, who have been unpaid for months, protested the failure of the employer to fulfill their promises regarding wage demands and the uncertainty of the factory's status.
In recent years, after the factory was handed over to the private sector, workers at Hepco Arak have repeatedly protested the non-payment of their wages on time and have demanded that its ownership be returned to the government.
Economic recession, bankruptcy of production units, and mismanagement have caused many workers to be deprived of their salaries and benefits, so much so that in recent months, one or more protest rallies have been held by workers almost every day.
Some reports indicate that in the past year, around six thousand labor rallies have been held, mostly in protest of unpaid salaries for several months, mass layoffs, uncertainty following the transfer of factories to the private sector, and low wages.
Source: Voice of America
