Continued Strike of Over 20,000 Contract Workers Across 110 Companies in Iran

Reports indicate that thousands of contract workers in the oil, gas, petrochemical, and power plant sectors are continuing their strike across approximately 110 companies in various regions of Iran. This is occurring while officials of the Islamic Republic have remained silent on the matter. According to the Telegram channel 'Civil Protest Market', contract workers at the 'Pishro Joosh Iranians' company announced their participation in the strike, which began at the end of June, by releasing a video on Thursday, July 7. Based on reports from some labor organizations, 'over 22,000' contract workers are on strike to achieve their professional demands, with some of them leaving their workplaces to return home. The striking workers are demanding 'the elimination of contractors, wage increases, 14 days of work followed by 14 days of rest, improved dormitory conditions, and better working conditions and safety standards.' The ILNA news agency also reported on July 2 that a new protest campaign by the striking workers, under the slogan 'The table of all workers is the same' and named '14-14', has started in refineries, petrochemical plants, and other oil and gas centers, with these workers returning home after handing over their tools. In previous years, a similar campaign called 'Twenty-Ten' was launched to achieve the demands of contract workers in companies affiliated with the oil and petrochemical industries. The 'Tejarat News' website also reported on July 4 that contract workers have 'repeatedly attempted to pursue their demands through various campaigns since 2021, but continue to face indifference from government officials.' According to this report, the workers state that this widespread strike has 'put heavy pressure on contractors,' and the withdrawal of these workers from work 'disrupts other sectors of oil that are not involved in this protest and incurs costs for the contractors.' This strike has faced various responses from contracting companies. According to the Council for Organizing Oil Contract Workers' Protests, employers have 'attempted to return striking workers to work by threatening to hire new staff and create divisions within the strike, but have not succeeded in hiring new workers,' and the strike continues. According to a report published on Wednesday, July 6, some contractors have been willing to pay higher wages to hire new workers for unfinished and stalled projects, but no one has agreed to take the job. On the other hand, the Council for Organizing Oil Contract Workers' Protests reported that LNG workers in Kangan were attacked while leaving the 'Darya Sahel' company, resulting in 'two workers being injured in this confrontation.' This council had previously announced that in some companies, workers have been 'threatened,' and two workers named 'Behrami and Mohammad Rahimi' were arrested by 'the security of Gol Gohar Iron and Steel Development Company,' and 'there has been no news from them since.' In this context, the 'Civil Protest Market' channel reported that 'in the early days of the strike, workers from Sirejan Steel Development had come out of the workshop to go home, but some of them could not get tickets and returned to the dormitory, where they were attacked at night by armed individuals, and many workers were taken to an unknown location.' So far, security and law enforcement officials of the Islamic Republic have not commented on these confrontations or arrests. There have previously been security and judicial confrontations with workers protesting their living conditions in various regions of Iran, and currently, several workers and labor activists, as well as teachers and their union activists, have been sentenced to prison on security charges. Notable names include Reza Shahabi, Davood Razavi, Hassan Saeedi, Nasrin Javadi, Nahid Khodajoo, Sharifeh Mohammadi, Maziar Seyednejad, Rasoul Badaghi, Reza Aghdasi, Anisha Asadollahi, Keyvan Mohtadi, Reyhaneh Ansarinezad, Sarvnaz Ahmadi, Zeinab Hamrang, and Mehran Raouf.