October 2018 Report. Follow the latest labor and guild events in Iran in September 2018 here every day.
Latest Events. Latest Posts. Oldest Posts. 05:21 2.8.1397 Three support packages worth 600,000 tomans will be distributed by the end of the year. The head of the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare announced that support packages will be distributed in three phases totaling 600,000 tomans until the end of the current year. According to Tasnim News Agency, Anoushiravan Mohseni Bandpay noted that these support packages are intended for low-income groups needing assistance, such as the elderly. He stated that based on a parliamentary resolution, these support packages will be provided to individuals earning less than three million tomans, with the eligibility based on the income of the head of the household. The report did not specify when these packages would be distributed. This distribution comes at a time when, according to some officials from government-supported organizations, the purchasing power of a significant percentage of workers has decreased this year due to severe inflation. Currently, the minimum monthly wage for workers is one million and 115 thousand tomans. Previously, independent labor organizations had demanded an increase in the minimum wage to five million tomans per month. 04:37 2.8.1397 A group of Tehran pickup truck drivers called for attention to their guild issues. A group of pickup truck drivers in Tehran signed a petition requesting attention to their guild problems. According to ILNA News Agency, the drivers cited financial issues and problems related to their organization as the main reasons for their difficulties and called for the pursuit of their legal and livelihood demands. The petitioners mentioned that the Tehran City Council approved a resolution on October 22 regarding the pricing of freight permits for active pickup truck drivers in public cargo transport, which has created many problems for them. They requested the cancellation of this resolution, stating that "private companies established under the pretext of organizing pickup trucks, with the support of the municipality, are only looking to line their own pockets and do not consider the interests of the pickup drivers." Among the requests mentioned in this petition are the provision of parts, tires, and other consumables for vehicles, the establishment of social security and supplementary insurance, and the allocation of fuel subsidies. 04:27 2.8.1397 Mohammad Shariatmadari's promise to recognize "more rights for freedom of guild protests." Mohammad Shariatmadari, the proposed Minister of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, promised that if he assumes office, he would "recognize the right to freedom of guild protests more and quickly convene the Supreme Labor Council to adjust wages." According to ILNA News Agency, Shariatmadari stated that "when wages are delayed in a workplace, workers have the right to protest, and this does happen," adding, "However, civil demands must ultimately be pursued in a civil manner." He did not specify how this "civil manner" should be conducted. In recent decades, many reports have emerged regarding security and judicial confrontations with workers protesting unpaid wages. These confrontations have drawn severe criticism from independent labor and guild organizations as well as human rights organizations and labor unions worldwide. 02:30 30.7.1397 The International Transport Workers' Federation calls on the Iranian government to immediately release those detained in connection with truck drivers' strikes. The World Congress of the International Transport Workers' Federation, in a resolution, called on the Iranian government to immediately release those detained in connection with truck drivers' strikes and to end its actions to instill fear among workers. According to the Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, the International Transport Workers' Federation also urged its global labor organizations to pressure the Iranian government to respect workers' rights as part of a global campaign. The resolution supported the new wave of protests and strikes by truck drivers and strongly condemned the detention of over 200 individuals. The International Transport Workers' Federation stated that it condemns the threats from Iranian judicial officials against detainees, including the imposition of severe penalties such as execution. Law enforcement and judicial officials have accused the detainees of obstructing the passage of trucks and threatened them with heavy sentences such as execution. The Congress of this labor federation also called on the International Labor Organization to intervene immediately and demand that the Iranian government halt any trials against the detainees and respect the right to independent labor organization for achieving labor union rights and establishing independent labor organizations. The Syndicate of Workers of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company emphasized the concerning situation of the detainees and the threats from government officials in its message to the Congress of the International Transport Workers' Federation and had been pursuing the adoption of an emergency resolution on this issue during this time. 01:36 30.7.1397 Several teachers in various cities of Iran summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. An activist from the teachers' guild stated that in addition to the detention of Mohammad Reza Ramazanzadeh, the rotating president of the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Guilds, several teachers from various cities have also been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence. This teacher, who requested anonymity, told the Human Rights Campaign in Iran that "only in the city of Saqqez, seven teachers have been summoned to the Ministry of Intelligence, but summonses have also been reported in other cities such as Tehran, Qazvin, Bojnourd, Marivan, Kermanshah, and Aligudarz." In this regard, Karan Khanlari, a member of the Education and Research Commission of the Parliament, reported in an interview with the "Iranian Society" website about the detention of several teachers' rights activists. During a two-day sit-in by teachers in some areas of Iran on October 22 and 23, protests were held regarding low wages and pensions below the poverty line, paid education, and the imprisonment of several teachers' rights activists. 01:06 30.7.1397 "Detention of several teachers' rights activists." A member of Parliament reported the detention of several teachers' rights activists during the two-day sit-in by teachers in some areas of Iran. Karan Khanlari, a member of the Education and Research Commission of the Parliament, stated in an interview with the "Iranian Society" website that "no official report regarding the detention of teachers' rights activists has yet been presented to the Parliament" and added, "During these protests, some of them have been detained, and the Education Commission is seriously pursuing this incident." Earlier reports indicated the detention of Mohammad Reza Ramazanzadeh, the rotating president of the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Guilds, on the first day of the teachers' sit-in on October 23. According to teachers' guild organizations, Ramazanzadeh was detained by Ministry of Intelligence agents in Bojnourd. According to the Iranian Society, Karan Khanlari expressed hope that "negotiations would significantly help resolve the issues so that protests can be peacefully halted." Teachers' guild organizations have demanded an increase in wages and pensions, improved quality of education, and criticized the monetization of education. 00:32 30.7.1397 "According to Article 26 of the Constitution, guild organizations do not need to obtain permission from the government." The Deputy for Communications and Monitoring the Implementation of the Constitution of the President of Iran announced that according to Article 26 of the Constitution, guild organizations, including the teachers' guild, do not need to obtain permission from the government. According to ILNA News Agency, Ali Akbar Gorji Azandariani announced this in a letter in response to a question from Mohammad Taghi Fallahi, the secretary of the teachers' guild in Tehran, on August 17 of this year. Article 26 of the Constitution states: "Political and guild parties, associations, and recognized Islamic or religious minority associations are free, provided that they do not violate the principles of independence, freedom, national unity, Islamic norms, and the basis of the Islamic Republic. No one can be prevented from participating in them or forced to participate in one of them." According to ILNA, teachers' guilds across Iran have long been engaged in the issue of permits and permit renewals. In this regard, teachers' guild organizations have repeatedly criticized the policies of Hassan Rouhani's government and the security and judicial confrontations. According to this report, the Deputy for Communications and Monitoring the Implementation of the Constitution of the President emphasized that "ordinary legislation does not have the authority to condition the existence and legitimacy of civil and non-governmental institutions on government approval, and the existence of civil institutions cannot be tied to government approval." He stressed that "the existence and legitimacy or identity of civil organizations according to Article 26 of the Constitution has no relation or dependency on the government and practically should not have one." Ali Akbar Gorji Azandariani also pointed out that "Article 26 of the Constitution recognizes the right of the people to establish civil organizations, including guild organizations, without the need to obtain permission from the government. The conditions mentioned in the article are related to the competence of subsequent supervision and do not pertain to the prior approval of the government." 16:11 24.7.1397 Protests against pensions below the poverty line; retirees gathered in Tehran and several cities in Iran. A number of retirees gathered on Tuesday in front of the Organization for Planning and Budget in Tehran and also in some cities such as Isfahan. According to ILNA News Agency, the protesters, who were retirees from various government agencies, protested against their pensions, which are reportedly below the poverty line. They chanted slogans such as: "The poverty line is six million, our salary is two million." According to ILNA, the protesters demanded the implementation of equalization, the precise execution of the Civil Service Management Law, and access to quality supplementary insurance. This news agency did not mention which organization organized the gathering. However, previously, the Union of Retirees had called for a gathering on Tuesday in a statement circulated on social media. Retired government employees and teachers have previously gathered multiple times in front of responsible institutions, including the Organization for Planning and Budget and the Islamic Consultative Assembly, demanding their needs be met. 13:22 22.7.1397 Teachers' sit-in in some schools in various cities of Iran. Reports from Iran indicate that teachers held a sit-in in some schools in various cities of Iran on Sunday. According to images shared on social media and statements from some guild activists, teachers in schools in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, Ilam, Germeh, Marivan, Sanandaj, Sarvabad, Mashhad, Tabriz, Bushehr, Shiraz, Saqqez, Paveh, Kermanshah, Amol, and Hamadan engaged in a guild protest by sitting in their school offices. One guild activist described the sit-in by teachers in Sanandaj as very widespread, stating that schools in Bijar, Qorveh, Kamyaran, Sarvabad, Dehgolan, and Divandarreh also witnessed teacher sit-ins. This two-day protest followed a call from the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Guilds of Iran. This council had recently issued a statement criticizing the actions of "incompetent homeland officials," "low wages for teachers and retired educators," and "monetization of education." The statement noted that teachers, both retired and active, have been suffering for years due to low wages and are protesting against budget cuts and the meager per-student funding for schools, as well as the burden of education being placed on the shoulders of the public contrary to the Constitution, and to express this pain and suffering, they are continuously engaging in interactive and protest actions. The Coordinating Council of Teachers' Guilds of Iran criticized that "it seems the officials are deaf and blind" and stated that they "only think about their own interests and the interests of a few, and only understand and know the way to benefit themselves and a few citizens from other nations." 18:40 20.7.1397 The International Transport Workers' Federation criticized the demand for the harshest punishment against 17 detainees in connection with the truck drivers' strike. The International Transport Workers' Federation on Friday criticized the Qazvin prosecutor's request for the harshest punishment against 17 detainees in connection with the truck drivers' strike. Earlier, Mohsen Karami, the head of the Qazvin Public and Revolutionary Prosecutor's Office, stated on October 17 that he had requested the harshest punishment for these 17 individuals, and if their crime of moharebeh (waging war against God) is proven, severe sentences such as execution will be issued. So far, more than 230 individuals have been detained in various cities in connection with the truck drivers' strike, and government, law enforcement, and judicial officials have accused them of obstructing the passage of trucks. Steven Cotton, the General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation, stated that the demand for the death penalty for striking is the most serious violation of workers' rights to strike. Mr. Cotton called this type of punishment "inhumane and unbelievable" and stated that all members of this federation worldwide are urging the Iranian government to pay attention to the demands of truck drivers. The General Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federation emphasized that the truck drivers' strike has "economic solutions and not threats of execution." The new wave of truck drivers' strikes began on September 22.