Continued Opposition to Government's Efforts to Change Wage Determination Formula; A Labor Official: Conditions for Implementing 'Regional Wage' Are Not Met

The head of the Supreme Council of Islamic Labor Councils in response to the Ministry of Economy's efforts to regionalize wages stated that they would support this action only if Article 41 of the Labor Law, which pertains to inflation and livelihood, is fully implemented. According to Olia Ali Beigi, what is proposed in the Ministry of Economy's plan is a 'misinterpretation' of the law. He emphasized that experience has shown that the conditions for determining regional wages do not exist in the country. Ali Beigi noted that regional wages serve as a pressure lever for the labor group every year during wage determination. Rasul Gorgij, head of the Employers' Association of Service Companies in Golestan, also stated on January 7 that 'this issue will not benefit workers, and we request labor representatives not to accept regional wages.' In November of this year, the 'Research Center of the Iran Chamber of Commerce' called for the implementation of 'regional wages,' and Solat Mortazavi, Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, opposed 'increasing workers' wages' this year while suggesting that workers negotiate their wage increases with employers. The insistence and pursuit of government and employer officials for the implementation of 'agreed wages' and 'regional wages' has been met with reactions from labor activists and media; for instance, the ILNA news agency reported on January 3 that no place in Iran has a livelihood basket costing less than 18 to 20 million tomans, and those who propose a 3 million toman salary for Sistan and Baluchestan wear suits worth millions. Reports published in Iran mention various figures for the poverty line ranging from 18 to 30 million tomans. Alireza Navaei, a labor activist residing in Paris, told Voice of America: 'The cheapening of labor and the imposition of absolute rights violations on workers have a history as long as the disgraceful rule of the Islamic regime.' While the government and private sector in Iran insist on regionalizing wages and increasing wages by a maximum of 20 percent, Iranian media reported on September 27 that during the two years of Ebrahim Raisi's government, a minimum inflation of '250 percent' has been imposed on people's livelihoods, and 'workers' wages are one-third of the poverty line.' A labor activist stated that regional wages can only be implemented with the participation of 'real representatives' of workers. The intensification of opposition to efforts to change the wage determination formula continues; a labor activist stated: 'Regional wages will not benefit workers.' Another labor activist remarked that if the government behaves like last year, labor representatives should not participate in the 'wage determination' meeting. Media criticism of 'agreed wages' continues; the livelihood basket in Iran is not less than 20 million tomans. Ambiguity surrounds the start of minimum wage negotiations; regional wages were discussed in the Supreme Labor Council.