Ambiguity in the Legal Obligation of 'Permanent Contracts for Workers'; Labor Activist: Most Workers Do Not Have Written Contracts

Despite the laws of the Islamic Republic stating that as of February this year, all individuals who have been employed for four years must have their contracts converted to 'permanent contracts', some activists have expressed doubts about the implementation of this and the guarantee of 'job security' for workers. Rahim Mirabdollah, a member of the Islamic Labor Council of Tehran Province, which is recognized by the Islamic Republic, told the ILNA news agency: If 'job security' for workers is to be ensured, employers must be 'obligated' to establish permanent contracts in jobs of a continuous nature. He stated that officials from the Ministry of Labor of the Islamic Republic claim to be working to 'mandate written contracts', saying: A law was previously written on this matter that mandated 'contracts must be written', but currently 'most workers' do not have written contracts. According to Clause 10 of the 'Labor Law' of the Islamic Republic, in cases where the employment contract is 'written', the contract is prepared in four copies: one copy goes to the 'local labor office', one copy is kept by the 'worker', one copy by the 'employer', and the last copy is held by the 'Islamic Labor Council', or in workplaces without a council, it is given to the 'worker's representative'. Nevertheless, decades after the approval of such a law and the obligation for contracts to be written, many workers still lack contracts or are limited to 'temporary' contracts. In recent years and months, workers from various production and service units across the country have repeatedly protested their contractual issues, especially the 'temporary' nature of their contracts, and in some cases, they have gathered or gone on strike, facing crackdowns from state and security agencies. Ali Hossein Rayati-Fard, Deputy for Labor Relations at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare of Ebrahim Raisi's government, claimed on October 16 of this year that a committee has been formed to 'reform Article 10 of the Labor Law and ensure job security' for workers. So far, many labor activists have faced crackdowns from security and law enforcement agencies of the Islamic Republic for peacefully demanding their minimum legal rights, including timely payment of wages, having a work contract, or enjoying job security. In this context, on October 29, two labor organizations, the Council for Organizing Contract Oil Workers' Protests and the Council for Organizing Informal Workers (Third Parties), condemned the 'brutal punishment' of flogging and fines for 17 protesting workers of the National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz and called for their immediate cancellation. In recent years, the protests of workers for their minimum rights have become more pronounced, and during this time, hundreds of labor activists have been summoned, arrested, and faced judicial sentences. The slogan 'Worker, shout out, demand your rights' was heard at protests by workers in front of the Social Security Organization in Rasht. Three workers were killed and injured in Baqershahr due to a building collapse. Protests continue among official employees at the Aghajari Oil and Gas Exploitation Company. The purchasing power in Iran has decreased; 70% of workers are 'dual-income'. Contractual and corporate workers of the Telecommunications Company of Iran have gone on strike and gathered in several cities. The crisis of livelihood continues in Iran; workers are struggling to secure their basic living needs.