A Labor Member of the Supreme Labor Council: The Minister of Labor's Goal is to Eliminate Labor Organizations

Akbar Shokat, a labor member of the Supreme Labor Council of the Islamic Republic, criticized the government's plan to transfer the determination of workers' wages to the Islamic Consultative Assembly on Thursday, May 2. He stated that the remarks of officials from the Ministry of Labor indicate that they do not believe in tripartism and want to eliminate labor organizations, contrary to the practice in many countries. These comments come at a time when several members of independent labor organizations are imprisoned on security charges, and labor unions worldwide emphasize that the Islamic Republic obstructs the independent organization of workers in Iran. The ILNA news agency also reported that 'the decision of the Ministry of Labor to transfer the determination of workers' wages to the parliament is serious.' Previously, Solat Mortazavi, the Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, proposed the idea of transferring wage determination to the parliament in response to severe criticism of the Supreme Labor Council's minimum wage resolution for the current year, which has also faced significant backlash. The minimum wage for workers covered by labor law, married with one child, is approximately 10 million and 900 thousand tomans this year. This amount was approved by the Supreme Labor Council last March, while the latest 'official calculations' indicated that by the beginning of this year, the livelihood basket for a working family was between 25 million and 30 million tomans. In this context, Akbar Shokat stated that tripartism is included in labor law and is a mechanism for determining wages and decision-making on other workers' issues, but it is not implemented as it should be, and the labor members of the council do not have the necessary power for decision-making. He added that the Ministry of Labor cannot even tolerate this level and wants to eliminate these progressive materials through bills and directives, which is anti-people and contrary to democracy. Some labor activists believe that Solat Mortazavi aims to retaliate against the labor community's protests against his management style by eliminating the Supreme Labor Council and handing over affairs to the parliament. Workers at the 'Parch Nature Cellulose Paper' factory in Shush continued their strike and gathering. Statements from labor organizations on International Workers' Day: All prison and exile sentences for activists should be revoked. International Workers' Day is overshadowed by dire living conditions; labor organizations state that organizing for change is essential. The Iranian Writers' Association called for the release of all imprisoned workers and labor activists ahead of International Workers' Day. Threats against labor activists imprisoned in Evin Prison coincide with International Workers' Day; statement publication is prohibited.