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Sit-in by 150 sacked workers from Sherkat General
On saturday the 24th of June, 150 workers sacked from
Sherkat General, producers
of air conditioning systems, some of whom have more
than 20 years experience, staged a sit-in in the
factory grounds, to protest at their sacking ,in the
factory grounds.
Those responsible for this company used plans for
restructuring the plant to sack the workers and the
Labour offices of Eslam Shahr, ( in south west Tehran)
approved this decision. These workers were sacked
while 200 contract workers were employed on short term
contracts. In fact many managers in Iran sack their
experienced full time workers and increasingly use
temporary workers on short term contract. These
workers receive the lowest salaries and benefits and
constantly face the threat of loosing their jobs as
the managers can sack them
at any time.
According to one of the sacked workers, Sherkat
General has 5 production lines
and currently 4 of them are working and the fifth line
will start soon. This
production unit has no budget deficits nor is it
lacking raw materials. He
added:
"while the workers have been sacked, every day the
company produces 720 water
based coolers and the workers have to do overtime
during weekends and holidays."
The workers in the sit-in announced that they will
continue the sit-in until
they win their demands.
Protest gathering by Oil Company trainees in front of
the Oil Ministry .
On Thursday 30th of June, around 50 ex-trainees of
the Oil company , gathered in protest outside the Oil
Ministry.
In 1994, the Oil compnay advertised that it will
accept 152 trainees,
with qualifucations below the high school diploma and
100 school leavers with diploma, for employment in oil
and gas installations. These trainees were supposed to
be employed in the Oil company after a two year
training period, however the company is refusing to
honour its promise and these trainees have
demonstrated a number of times over the last 4 years
and staged a number of sit-ins with no
result.
Protest demonstration by Nassaji Bafnaz workers in
Isfahan
On Tuesday the 22nd May 2001, workers from Nassaji
Bafnaz (textile factory) in Isfahan (central Iran)
demanded a resolution of the problems of this
industrial unit by organising a protest demonstration
and blocking the main road, Chahar Bagh , in the city.
Workers from this plant have not received any wages
for 2.5months and were shouting: "unemployment and
poverty are two sources of immorality" they also gave
the slogan: "the battles between the two factions of
the regime have nothing to do with us" reiterating
that the differences between the two factions of the
government have nothing to do with the real interests
of the workers. According to the paper Kar va Kargar
(Tehran 23rd May 2001) one of the demonstrators said:
"the workers situation is so bad that a few days ago
one of the workers tried to commit suicide but other
workers tried to dissuade him and they succeeded to
convince him that they can solve his financial
problems jointly."
Gathering by Kamorad workers in Gom
On the morning of the 17th of May, nearly 100 workers
from Kamrad workers, producers of industrial tabs in
Ghom ( Central province ) gathered outside the
provincial offices in this town demanding payment of
2months unpaid wages, they also protested against the
poor health conditions in the work place and
insecurity in their jobs. One of the workers said: "we
have not been paid any wages for 2months that is why
we have to sell our family property and my daughter's
dowry to pay back loans."
Those responsible for this company have closed down
80% of the production and the moulding section of
this factory and its personnel face uncertainty or
have been transferred to other sectors.
Strike and protest gathering by Khomeini hospital
workers in Ilam
A group of contract workers from Khomeini hospital in
Ilam ( western Iran) stopped work in the last days of
May and gathered in protest at non payment of their
wages and bonuses in the hospital grounds.
Strike by Sarab Baft Nassaji workers
Workers from Sarab Baft Nassaji ( textile ) factory
went on strike for a few days in protest at nonpayment
if their wages on time .
Protesting workers from Baresh Nassaji ( textile )
closed the Tehran -Isfahan road
Workers from Baresh Nassaji ( textile ) factory in
Isfahan ( central Iran) closed the main Tehran_Isfahan
road on Saturday the 2nd of June in protest at
non-payment of their wages for over 4 months.
Before this protest , more than 1000 workers from this
factory , had staged a demonstration on the 6th of May
by walking towards the city center, but the military
forces and anti riot police attacked this peaceful
demonstration and injured a number of workers ,
injuring some of them and arresting more than 50
workers , dispersing the demonstration.
Protests gathering by Rissandegi-Bafandegi Kashan
(textile and knitting factory) workers in Kashan
On Tuesday the 12th of June a number of workers from
Rissandegi-Bafandegi Kashan ( in central Iran)
gathered in the 22nd Bahman street in Kashan in
protest at non-payment of their wages. Prior to this
on the 20th May 2001 , workers from this factory had
gathered in a demonstration in the same street
demanding payment of their delayed wages.
More than 1500 workers from this factory have lost
their jobs and from now on it is only likely that 511
workers will be able to return to work.
Protest by Nurses against increase in working hours.
On Tuesday the 12th of June, a number of nurses from
Medical Science Faculty in Tehran , protested against
the increase of their working hours from 175 hours a
month to 191 hours and gathered outside the personnel
offices of the University. They said as their
profession is a difficult job dealing with human life
, increasing their working hours is unjust.
Protest gathering by Behpoush Company workers
On mid day the 17th May 2001, workers from Behpoush
clothing company, situated on the Tehran-Karaj road,
which come under the authority of the Bank for
Industry and Mining , gathered outside the
headquarters of this bank in Tehran shouting protest
slogans. Workers held a placard clarifying that they
were protesting at non-payment of their wages and
benefits for 24 months and demanded that the
authorities dealt with their problem.
It should be noted that during last year, workers from
Farassa construction products company , another
company under the cover of this bank, protested a
number of times against non payment of there wages.
Simultaneous National strike by Power plants workers
In an unprecedented action, last May , workers from a
number of Power plants went on strike simultaneously,
This strike which lead to power cuts of 4 to 6 hours
in 25 provinces in Iran, was against the plan to
'moderate human resources' in other words plans to
sack workers from Ghom Power plant ( in central Iran)
. This strike started in Ghom and spread to other
plants very quickly.
The only excuse given by the ministry of Energy for
these power cuts was technical problems'.
Protest gathering by Iran Jeika workers
On Wednesday the 30th of May, tens of workers from the
garment manufacturer factory, Iran Jeika, situated in
Rasht (northern Iran), gathered and closed the road
outside the provincial offices in this town, in
protest at non payment of their wages and bonuses.
They said that after the factory was transferred to
new owners, it was closed down and for nearly a year
the workers have received no payments, this is under
circumstances when these workers are not only deprived
of the meager national insurance cover but the social
services refuse to even renew their health insurance
booklets.
Iran Jeika factory has 142 workers with 10 to 25 years
work experience and 95% of them are women workers many
of whom are the sole bread winner in the family.
Sit-in by Bridgestone tyre factory in Shiraz
Workers in Bridgestone tyre factory in Shiraz(
southern Iran) returned to work after a week of sit-in
at the beginning of June, following promises by those
responsible to deal with their demands.
. Their protest was against non-payment of wages and
bonuses.
Sit-in by Fars Compressor Sazi workers in Shiraz
Workers from Fars Compressor Sazi ( compressor
manufacturers) in Shiraz ( southern Iran) staged
a sit-in in the second half of June . A large number
of workers from this factory face uncertainty and job
losses. Workers in this factory are demanding payment
of their unpaid wages and bonuses, a return to work of
those who have lost their jobs and job security.
Workers from Ghataat Fouladi (Metal ) workers close
the main road
Workers from Ghataat Fouladi (Metal)company staged a
protest against non payment of their wages and bonuses
and closed the Tehran-Karaj road for yet another time.
Although there are raw materials available, the
factory's production is stopped. According to workers,
the managers, who in addition to this factory have 4
other units under their control in other parts of the
country, have taken similar steps elsewhere, to obtain
grants from the government and have practically
blocked the workers wages and benefits.
Sit -in by Takhteh Seh Layii workers in Sari
On Tuesday the 19th of June, more than 100 workers
from the Rajaii (tree ply) factory in Sari(northern
Iran) , in the 4th struggle of the last one and a half
years, demanded that their demands should be met and
their problems resolved. These workers asked for the
payment of their delayed wages and profits. This
factory , which has been transferred to the private
sector, has now been closed for 20 months and its
workers are unemployed.
Protest gathering by workers in Shariati Hospital in
Tehran
On Saturday the 23rd of June, a number of workers from
Shariati hospital, part of the Medical Faculty of
Teheran University, protested outside this hospital
following the transfer of transport services in this
hospital to the private sector. This section has 160
service workers whose job security is in jeopardy.
Protest gathering by Jamko workers in front of the
Majles (Islamic Parliament)
on Tuesday the 26th of June 2001, workers from garment
makers, Jamko, protested against non payment of
salaries and bonuses for more than a year , in front
of the Majles(Islamic Parliament) . This gathering
ended when two MPs promised the workers that they will
deal with the workers demands.
Jamko has been transferred to some government chronies
under the guise of 'privatization' and has faced a
complete recession for more than three months. The
director of this company, who refuses to invest any
money in it is trying to close it down claiming that
there is a cash flow program and a shortage of raw
materials.
Workers in this factory have staged a number of
protests over the last year in front of government
offices and centers, demanding that the authority deal
with their demands. More than 150 workers in this
factory gathered outside the Ministry of Industry in
Tehran on the 27th of May, demanding their unpaid
wages and bonuses.
The police intervened and stopped the demonstration.
The government 's program, in accordance with a neo
liberal approach of structural readjustment, has lead
to increasing transfer of production units to the
private sector.
As a result of this policy many production and service
units have closed down in the last few years and
thousands of workers have been thrown to the endless
queue of the unemployed without the minimum social
cover.
Gathering by Kouh Fard workers in Isfahan
On Sunday the 24th of June, workers from Kouh Fard
factory, producers of audio-visual equipment in
Isfahan( central Iran) staged a protest against non
payment of their wages and mismanagement as well as
the refusal of the mangers to deal with the workers
demands.
Protest by Tabriz carpet and blanket factory'
On the 22nd of June, workers from Tabriz carpet and
blanket factory signed a petition complaining about
their working conditions and demanded a return to work
for workers who had been expelled in a non human act.
Protest gathering by Parchin ammunitions factory
On Wednesday the 20th of Jun, a group of workers
expelled form Parchin ammunitions factory
gathered outside the presidential offices, demanding
a return to work. Carrying a placard these workers
wrote addressing the president: "Pay attention to the
demands of us workers with 8 to 13 years experience
who continue to work day and night and face sacking"
The workers had brought their wife and their children
to this protest
Protest and sit-in by Nassaji Chit-e-Rey textile and
Shadan Pour shoe workers in front of the Majles (
Iranian parliament.
More than 1000 workers from Nassaji Chit-e-Rey (
textile factory) in Shahr Rey situated in south
Tehran, continued their widespread protest in recent
months including a protest outside the headquarters of
Bonyad Mostazafin (an Islamic foundation) on the 27th
of May, protest in the factory grounds and blocking
adjacent roads on the 11th of June, finally a sit in
front of the Majles on the 12th of June. These workers
and received no wages for the almost 3 months, and
demanded payment of their unpaid wages and bonuses.
These workers also protested against the transfer of
their factory to the private sector, a process that
had lead to a halt in production and insecurity for
workers. During their protest the workers announced
that the new owners had taken no steps to make any new
investment in this major industrial unit but had
instead planned to sell its equipment and the
16hectares of prime land belonging to the factory,
causing its gradual closure and currently 1615 workers
in this factory, some with 13 to 27 years of
experience are unemployed and have received no
salaries for 3 months.
This factory which was under the cover of Bonyad
Mostazafin ( an Islamic foundation) was transferred to
the private sector last December. The protesting
workers were giving slogans such as : " either death
or payment of our delayed wages" , "death to Bonyad"
and demanded to speak to Majles MPs and a resolution
of their problems.
These workers who had come to the demonstration
wearing their work clothes tried to enter the Majles
building ( Islamic Parliament) a number of times but
they were confronted by security forces and during the
scuffles, one of the main entrances to the Majles was
pulled off. One of the protester said:"Bonyad has
given the factory to a few individuals without any
consultation with the workers, and this transfer
includes giving the workforce. In other words Bonyad
has sold us like slaves for a pittance. " Another
worker said: "our question for those responsible for
the factory and the government is have they ever
faced a situation where their children went to bed
hungry? Have they faced a day when they couldn't pay
for their daily expenses and the rent? And finally
have they ever replaced three meals a day with eating
potatoes? This is the story of our life for the last
year, full of problems."
This sit-in which lasted until dusk in pouring rain,
was repeated the next day Wednesday the 13th of June .
On this day in addition to Chit-e-Rey workers , 400
workers from Kafsh-e Shadan Pour shoe manufacturers,
joined the protest outside the Majles . Their factory
, which also belonged Bonyad Mostazafin, was
privatised in 1999 and 475 workers have received no
wages for 10 months, their repeated protests has lead
to no results . One of the workers from Kafsh-e Shadan
Pour , shoe factory, referred to this privatisation ,
returning the factory to Rassekh Afshar, the son of
one of its previous owners ( The family who owned this
factory prior to the anti royalist uprising) :" when
Rassekh got ownership of the factory he promised that
he will employ 500 new workers bringing the workforce
to 1000 . but this promise was never materialized .
Then by selling the factory equipment he claimed he
wanted to buy new machinery to improve productivity.
But this promise was never kept either. " Another
worker referred to the fact that some of the workers
have been forced to beg in order to earn some money
and many workers have been evicted by their landlord
with their furniture thrown into the street. He said:"
a few of the workers have had heart attacks and died.
A few have become paralysed, the pressure is enormous
and there are no other jobs and no wages. The factory
owner is connected to the Bonyad and other government
organs. This man who supposedly has no money , found
money to contribute to the election funds of Fallahian
( one of the candidates in the recent presidential
elections) , how come? The first day we talked to a
judge about our case , he said I will punish this man
and force him to pay you .. the second time he said
leave alone he is poor creature of God.! The officer
of the security forces tells us you will see I will
get your money and then next time we see him, his
approach is completely different"
A large number of anti riot policemen were sent to the
sit-in and tried to disperse the gathering , but the
workers resisted and continued their sit-in in front
of the Majles. The security forces were stopping other
people approaching the protesters.
After two days of protest outside the Majles, as their
demands were not met, Chit-e-Rey workers gathered once
more outside the factory and stopped the manager
leaving the factory for 3 hours, On the 19th of June
they broke the main entrance of Bonyad Mostazafin and
staged a sit- in there. One of the workers said: "
when they stopped us entering Bonyad, we were forced
to cut the chains of the railings," adding " put
yourself in our place , what can we tell our wife and
children .. we are only asking for raw materials to
restart production. " . In response to a reporter who
asked him if such gathering s and violent behavior is
a good idea? " he replied: "when no one responds to
our demands , what can we do?"
Following this protest the director of Bonyad
Mostazafin, addressed the workers and said that all
wage swill be paid that day , before the end of the
working day. He confirmed that raw material necessary
to restart the factory will be provided and until the
issue of ownership is resolved Bonyad will take
responsibility , so that the factory can continue
production.
Bonyad Mostazafin with more than 30 thousand Milliard
Tomans , controls 40 per cent of Iran's economy . It
owns hundreds of factories, mines, construction
companies , trading and transport companies, thousands
of hectares of land, orchards and fruit producing land
and is the largest economic institution of the Middle
East. The director of Bonyad Mostazafin is directly
nominated by Iran's supreme religious leader,
Ayatollah Khamneii , he is not answerable to any one
else and does not pay any taxes.
Iran's presidential elections and the workers
Iran's presidential elections took place on the 8th of
June and according to official figures Khatami was
elected for a second term, with 21million votes from
42millions Iranians eligible to vote, that is slightly
more than 50percent of the population. The total vote
of his 9 opponents all associated with the more
rightwing faction of the regime and its leader managed
to get about 20percent of the total votes cast. The
results of this
election like the previous presidential election 4
years ago and the parliamentary elections two years
ago, show the people's participation in elections is
simply a way of expressing their hatred of this
undemocratic, religious ideological state. A fact that
is shown by the refusal of people to vote for
candidates associated with the supreme leader and the
more right wing faction of the regime who consider
themselves god' representatives on earth and therefore
deny the right to vote.
It should be noted that in these elections, like
previous elections, only the representatives of the
two factions of the regime were allowed to put forward
candidates and none of the forces outside the current
regime, even those adhering to the Islamic
constitution, were not allowed to put forward
candidates.
These elections took place at a time when a new wave
workers protests is taking place throughout the
country and especially in major cities and industrial
centers. These protests are against non-payment of
delayed wages, factory closures and the threat of mass
job losses and privatisations which have worsened
considerably the living conditions of the majority of
workers. These protests are very wide spread and after
months of other protests, which bore no results,
workers, have adopted new forms of struggle such as
sit-ins in front of the Majles ( Islamic Parliament).
To such an extent that MPs from both factions of the
regime, from conservatives to reformists, have
admitted that the destiny of 'Allah's ' heavenly
(religious) state depends on the resolution of the
economic problems and down to earth issues . These
problems resulting from a despair of workers and
ordinary people form the inability of Khatami's first
term presidency to deliver any change .
On the day of the elections, a number of conditions,
including hatred of the more fundamentalist faction,
as well the compulsory nature of the vote for many
civil servants, military and security personnel and
their families, resulted din a vote for Khatami.
However the election results show that 1)14million
people, i.e. one third of those eligible to vote,
didn't participate in elections and boycotted them 2)
A majority of the 21 million who voted for Khatami ,
only did so as they were not presented with another
choice and this was the only to express their
opposition to the regime , as admitted by the leading
intellectuals of the 'reformist' faction Abbas Abdi
and Saeed Hajarian.
In his analysis in the paper 'Norooz' (Tehran , 17th
June 2001) Abbas Abdi concludes hat the vote of the
21million who did vote for Khatami should not be taken
as popular support for the program and the record of
Khatami or the 'reformist' faction.
In any case the reelection of Khatami to the
presidency will bear no economic or political benefit
to workers . Firstly because from a political point of
view as he has repeatedly emphasised, Khatami has
limited d himself to working by reforms within the
confines of existing political order. A framework ,
which based on the constitution of the Islamic state
, has given a half god status to the Vali Faghih
(supreme religious leader) and on this basis he can
deny the peoples' will and vote. A power that has
allowed the Vali Faghih and his allies to control
more 60oercent of financial, industrial and economic
institutions without any inspection or control by the
government, the Majles ( Islamic Parliament) or the
people. A group of 'Agha Zadehha' ( offspring's of
mullahs, high ranking leaders of the regime ) who
according to Rabii ( a presidential adviser) have
relied on this god like power to embezzled 400
milliard dollars of Iran's wealth in the last 20
years. These 'Aghazadeha' have monopolised such
major economic power that without their approval no
minor step in the economic sphere can be taken.
Secondly from an economic point view, again as Khatami
has emphasised time and time again, and as his 4 year
record shows, he has followed the same economic
program as his predecessors in the Islamic regime and
he intends to continue with the same program . I.e.
economic restructuring, privatisation or in other
words the programs of the World Bank and the
international Monetary Fund for 'economic
restructuring' which was started by Rafsanjani during
his presidency and over the last ten years has
destroyed the economy, creating recession in
production and industry and making millions of workers
unemployed.( Rafsanjani and his associates are now
recognised as the largess most powerful economic Mafia
in Iran). In this way as the escalation of workers
protests showed in the midst of electoral propaganda,
workers from Chit Rey Nassaji ( textile factory) and
Shadan Pour Shoes staged a sit in front of the Majles
( Islamic Parliament) a few days after Khatami's
victory. Workers who are despairing of the actions and
inabilities of Khatami's government are looking to
other methods to progress their demands and as Abbas
Abdi admits in his analysis of the presidential
election results, the so called 'reformist' Khatami
faction is not the representative of the 21million
who voted for it, out of desperation. The government
must clarify who it represents amongst the voters who
were against Vali Faghih as the principal leader of
the Islamic order, and the faction that supports him.
As 'reforms' reach a dead end, the 'reformists' are
clarifying their final position, maintaining the
current Islamic regime. Given the experience of the
last few years, is there any alternative for workers
but to rely on their unity and independence?
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