Dismissal of 2 Representatives; Ministry of Oil Cracks Down on Representatives of 120,000 Workers

A Tehran-based newspaper reported on Thursday, January 6, that two representatives of third-party oil industry workers were dismissed due to their demands for the rights of their colleagues, while 13 others face the threat of dismissal. Etemad noted that "these workers are unofficial representatives of 120,000 third-party workers of the National Iranian Drilling Company and the oil industry." The newspaper quoted these workers as saying: "They were introduced to the Southern Selection Committee through the National Iranian Drilling Company since June of this year, and after being summoned by this body, they provided explanations regarding their colleagues' demands and the reasons for their advocacy." Accordingly, Etemad reported that two of these workers received final dismissal orders, five others are awaiting dismissal orders, and eight more are scheduled to be summoned by the Selection Committee to determine their employment status. According to the report, these 15 workers, as representatives of the third-party workers of the National Iranian Drilling Company and the oil industry, demanded wage equalization, as well as benefits such as gift cards, oil cards, loans, and access to recreational and sports facilities designated for contract workers of the National Iranian Drilling Company and the oil industry. Representatives of 120,000 third-party workers stated that "despite the emphasis of Article 38 of the Labor Law regarding the equalization of wages for contract and permanent workers, this legal emphasis has been ignored by contractors, and the Ministry of Oil has taken no action to eliminate this discrimination." They emphasized that the government of Masoud Pezeshkian has also had a hardline approach towards workers' advocacy, and the issuance of the latest dismissal order for the representatives has turned workers' hopes into despair. These security measures have been implemented amid numerous recent protests by third-party oil workers. Etemad reported that dozens of contract workers have faced dismissal and punitive measures from contractors in recent months due to their protests for overdue rights for themselves or their colleagues. Etemad pointed out that the crackdown on advocating workers in some private and contracting workshops began in the 1390s and intensified in the early 1400s. The newspaper noted that layoffs, temporary or permanent dismissals, wage deductions, prohibition of leave, prohibition of overtime, elimination of overtime benefits, legal cases, referrals to the judiciary on charges of inciting workers to revolt and protest, elimination or deduction of wage benefits, demotion of workers from their previous positions, and prevention of entry into the workshop area are among the various measures some contractors have taken against advocating workers. The newspaper also reported that in recent months, this trend has continued, and dozens of contract workers from telecommunications, Wagon Pars Arak, Tabriz Municipality, Pars Nature Cellulose Company in Shoosh, Lorestan Glass Company, National Steel Group in Ahvaz, and technical staff of some passenger trains and combine manufacturing in Tabriz have reported facing dismissal and punitive measures from contractors due to their protests for overdue rights for themselves or their colleagues. Workers are deprived of many of their basic rights in Iran due to the government's obstruction of their union activities. Despite the presence of a workers' representative in the Supreme Labor Council, they have always witnessed wage suppression. Nevertheless, the level of labor protests in Iran has significantly increased in recent years.