Drivers of 'Line 7 BRT System 4' in Tehran Strike in Protest of Delayed Year-End Bonuses

The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company announced that drivers of Line 7 of the BRT System 4 went on strike on Wednesday, March 7, due to the non-payment of year-end bonuses and, according to some officials, the determination of a ceiling for bonuses by the municipality. This labor organization stated: 'According to the collective agreement approved in the early 1980s with the efforts of genuine worker representatives, all workers of the company must receive two months of their base salary as a year-end bonus every year, and no individual or legal entity is allowed to interfere in the content of this agreement.' The Syndicate emphasized the necessity of prompt payment of bonuses, stating: 'The employer is also obliged to comply with all clauses of this agreement and fully pay the workers' benefits based on this agreement.' According to the report, 'Bonuses were traditionally paid in March, close to mid-month, but this year, considering that 16 days have passed in March, they have still not been paid by the ineffective management, and the symbolic representatives of the formal Islamic Labor Council have no other option but to remain silent due to their inability and lack of real power.' This labor organization accused the management of the company of having 'focused solely on keeping a calendar in front of them since their entry into the company, checking daily to see which days are designated for government ceremonies, showcasing at the exorbitant costs from the company’s resources, which belong to all citizens.' The Syndicate also addressed the Mayor of Tehran, stating that 'if you disrupt payments, especially the bonuses of the workers of the company, we must remind you of the strikes in May 401.' This organization added that the temporary strike on Wednesday in System 4 demonstrated that drivers will not tolerate the violation of their legal rights. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company noted that the astronomical rise in living costs and the non-payment of workers' benefits and any consequences thereof are directly the responsibility of the government and senior municipal officials and the company. In recent years, protests by workers and other wage earners have expanded due to reasons such as unpaid wages and benefits, low wage levels, layoffs, privatization, and the closure of industrial units in various parts of Iran. These protests have taken various forms, especially strikes and gatherings.