The head of the Supreme Council of Labor Associations of Iran cited wage lag behind inflation, job insecurity, and inability to make ends meet as the main reasons for skilled workers migrating to countries like Iraq, Oman, and Turkey. Sima Golpour, in an interview with the government news agency Tasnim on Wednesday, February 4, stated that the decrease in per capita meat and protein consumption among Iranian workers is due to insufficient wages set for workers. She described the policy of temporary employment and labor since the 1990s as a cause of job insecurity in Iran and listed its consequences as the weakening of labor organizations and their bargaining power. According to the head of the Supreme Council of Labor Associations of Iran, ensuring workers' livelihoods leads to increased job productivity and reduces workers' concerns about healthcare and retirement costs. This labor official identified livelihood problems as the main reason for the migration of skilled workers and the increase in unskilled labor, emphasizing that the replacement of these skilled workers will be very slow. The website 'Tejarat News' previously reported on January 7, citing the Iranian Migration Observatory, that over one million skilled workers have migrated to Gulf countries. Amid ongoing inflation and shrinking household budgets, several labor activists have warned about the consequences of malnutrition and decreased productivity among workers. Recently, Akbar Ghorbani, the executive secretary of the Workers' House in West Tehran, pointed out that due to extreme hunger, workers are gradually losing their productivity. He stated that many workers are deprived of having a warm meal during the day. The newspaper 'Ham Mihan' reported on January 5 that the real minimum wage for workers this year has reached its lowest level in the past 28 years. The second day of the strike by workers of the National Steel Group of Ahvaz, workers are facing food poverty; bread and sugar have replaced meat and dairy on their tables. Warnings about the consequences of 'regional wages' indicate that worker migration to cities will intensify, and criticisms of the approval of the bill to increase retirement age and service years by the Guardian Council are escalating.
Low Wages as a Major Factor for Skilled Iranian Workers' Migration to Regional Countries
Iranian labor leaders are highlighting low wages and job insecurity as key factors driving skilled workers to migrate to neighboring countries. This trend raises concerns about malnutrition and declining productivity among remaining workers. The situation reflects broader economic issues in Iran, including inflation and inadequate living standards.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iranian labor leaders have pointed to low wages and job insecurity as primary reasons for the migration of skilled workers to neighboring countries. This trend is exacerbating issues of malnutrition and declining productivity among remaining workers.
- Over one million skilled workers have migrated to Gulf countries.
- The real minimum wage for workers has reached its lowest level in 28 years.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has been facing significant economic challenges, including high inflation and low wages, which have led to widespread discontent among workers. The historical context of labor policies since the 1990s has contributed to job insecurity.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%