Livelihood Protests; Telecommunications Retirees Gather in Several Cities in Iran

A number of retirees from the Telecommunications Company protested on Tuesday against their livelihood conditions and the lack of attention to their demands in several cities in Iran. According to reports received by Voice of America and published on social media on Tuesday, July 4, protests by the retired telecommunications employees were held in at least the cities of Tabriz, Sanandaj, Bandar Abbas, and Marivan. The lack of updates to welfare allowances in the years 2022 and 2023, management's disregard for Regulation 89, issues with supplementary insurance, and the non-payment of past claims at current rates are among the reasons for the protests by the telecommunications retirees. The protests have been ongoing every Tuesday throughout 2022 in various cities in Iran and continue this year as well. Livelihood protests in Iran persist as news sources report that the Islamic Republic government has not only failed to control inflation but has also broken an 80-year record, with inflation rates exceeding 52%. According to the Supreme Labor Council's resolution, the minimum wage for married workers with children has increased by about two million tomans this year, reaching approximately 11 million tomans. However, this wage is not paid to workers who are not covered by labor laws. Inflation and rising prices in recent years have exacerbated the livelihood problems for a large portion of Iran's population, and economic experts warn of a worsening situation for people's livelihoods this year. The expansion of protests by various groups, including retirees, workers from different industries, teachers, nurses, and healthcare workers, indicates increasing livelihood problems in Iran and the indifference of the Islamic Republic authorities. Jamshid Asadi, an economist, previously told Voice of America that the economic situation and living conditions will worsen further. On Sunday, protests by retirees from the Social Security Organization and steel industries also took place in several cities in Iran, where protesters labeled the government's election campaign promises to replace Ebrahim Raisi and assume the title of 'presidency' as 'lies,' chanting 'We have seen no justice, we will not vote anymore.' Meanwhile, as protests intensify, government efforts to encourage retirees and workers to go to the 'polls' are ongoing. The uncertainty regarding the minimum wage for the year 2024 continues despite the arrival of summer; labor activists consider Raisi's government to be an 'anti-labor' administration. Strikes in over 60 contracting companies in Iran have led approximately 8,000 project workers to return home. Protests by project workers in the oil, gas, and petrochemical industries continue, as do protests by workers at Darougar and Arghavan Gostar Petrochemical due to unemployment and delayed wages. Livelihood protests in Iran have seen several protesters arrested following a crackdown by security forces during a gathering of retirees in Tehran.