Bitter Confessions of Workers; If We Protest, We Get Fired

Workers in Iran believe that all their rights, including the amount of their bonuses, exist only on paper and that they are fired if they protest against the non-fulfillment of their rights; the main reason for this dismissal is the one to three-month temporary contracts. The ILNA news agency, in examining this issue, quoted several workers as saying, "Because we have no written contracts, we do not dare to complain." These workers emphasized that "for example, if we file a complaint with the labor office regarding the non-payment of bonuses according to the law, we will lose this half-hearted job in the blink of an eye." ILNA also reported that many workers employed in small workshops, services, and trades are also deprived of their legal bonus rights. According to this agency, which is affiliated with the Workers' House, many workers receive less than the legal minimum for bonuses; workers such as those from the municipalities, including the Iran Shahr municipality, have been demanding overdue bonuses for years and have not made any progress. Experts believe that the Ministry of Labor is closer to employers than to defending workers' rights, and evidence shows that periodic inspections by the labor office of workshops are either not conducted or overlook violations. For this reason, workers say that their protests for the realization of their rights lead nowhere and only result in dismissal. This situation has led some workers to express their discontent silently despite their dissatisfaction. The slogan of the striking workers of the National Steel Group of Ahvaz: "We, the steel workers - fight against oppression and injustice - we fight, we fight." As the end of the year approaches, workers face a list of concerns: bans on entry, dismissals, and suicides. The management of the Chavar Petrochemical Company has dismissed 13 more workers. The 'Yellow Hats' protested in front of the Employment Organization. The livelihood crisis has reached a dangerous level; escaping poverty through suicide. There is a shortage of labor in Iran; workers are migrating to other countries. A union activist stated: The government has undermined workers' purchasing power by circumventing Article 41 of the Labor Law.