LABOR
DEMONSTRATIONS MAINTAINED IN IRAN
The
demonstrations that have been initiated in several factories
in Iran in February 2008 so as to protest the failure to pay
the wages, the inappropriate level of salaries and the
working conditions are maintained uninterruptedly. The
workers of the Haftappeh Sugar Factory in the town of Shush,
located in the Province of Khouzestan, continue their
demonstrations in front of the factory to have their
dismissed coworkers employed again. On the other hand, the
workers in the Haftappeh Sugar Factory carry on their sit-in
in the courtyard of the factory. Having carried out four
demonstrations since 2007, the workers emphasize that the
government officials have not fulfilled their promises.
Meanwhile,
when five workers were injured during the clashes between
the security forces and the protesters, the mistrust against
the Government was further increased. Condemning the attacks
against workers, the Iranian Committee for the Protection of
Workers’ Rights called for the immediate punishment of the
perpetrators of the incident during which workers were
injured. On the other hand, the demonstrations carried out
by the workers of the “Iran-Bark” textile factory near the
town of Rasht in the Gilan Province are supported by workers
coming from the other factories in Rasht. It is reported
that the protest demonstrations carried out by the workers
of Karman Sarcheshme Copper Factory, Gavmishan Dam, Kamyaran
Beetroot Factory, Asaluyeh Power Company, Asfahan Textile
Factory, Ardabil Iron-Steel Factory, Ghovve Pars Battery
Factory and the Boushehr Agriculture Institution since March
2008 have failed to produce any results and that their
salaries have not been paid yet.
On the
other hand, the worsening health condition of Mahmoud
Salahi, the former chairman of the Saghez City Workers’
Union, who is still under arrest although it was stated that
he would be released, constitutes another dimension of the
protest demonstrations. Workers demand the immediate release
of Salahi and their other representatives who have been
imprisoned because they were advocating their rights.
It seems
that the economic distress caused by the economic sanctions
applied by the UNSC, the wrong money policy pursued by the
government due to the elections and the raw material
deficiency that has taken place in industry which is
dependent on external sources will continue. This will cause
the employers to come to the edge of bankruptcy, to fail to
pay the salaries of the workers and will further increase
the protests in the short run. As can be recalled, the
government ignored the warnings made by Iranian economists
months ago, accusing the economists of “cooperating with the
enemy”.
