Payment of One Month of Delayed Wages to Haft Tappeh Workers and Release of Three More Workers

As reports emerge about the "deposit of one month of overdue claims" for Haft Tappeh workers into their accounts, the Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers' Syndicate announces the release of three more detained workers. According to the report, Mohammad Khenifar, Moslem Armend, and Hassan Fazeli have also been released today, while Ismail Bakhtiari, a representative of the workers, and Sepideh Gholian, a journalist, remain in custody. Meanwhile, some media outlets, including the Fars News Agency, claim that these two individuals have also been released. Gholamreza Shariatmadari, the governor of Khuzestan, wrote on his personal Twitter account that following follow-ups, "8 billion tomans for one month of the claims of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers in Shush has been deposited into the workers' accounts." Karim Yavari, the director general of job support and unemployment insurance at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare, confirmed this and stated that "another month's wages (for the workers) will be deposited by December 6." He also told ILNA news agency that four detained workers might be released by next week. However, Fars news agency reported today that by the end of the administrative workday on December 1, all 18 detained workers of Haft Tappeh would be released. Mr. Yavari added that "workers were warned not to allow their protests to be exploited by non-workers and hostile media." ILNA also reported that "four detained workers and one female journalist who were arrested during the gatherings were released on bail." The prosecutor of Shush announced on Tuesday, November 20, the release of 15 of the detained protesters in the Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers' protest, but the Telegram channel of the Iranian Free Workers' Union stated that Ismail Bakhtiari, Mohammad Khenifar, Moslem Armend, Hassan Fazeli, and Sepideh Gholian, a student and civil activist, remain imprisoned. IRNA news agency also quoted the governor of Khuzestan stating that the owner of Haft Tappeh attended the labor commission of Khuzestan province on Wednesday and promised to pay all overdue wages of the workers as soon as possible. ILNA reported that Gholamreza Shariatmadari stated that "yesterday, 5.4 billion tomans were deposited for the payment of workers' wages and 1.5 billion tomans for completion and renovation into the factory's trusted account." The Haft Tappeh company in Shush, Khuzestan province, is one of the largest sugarcane production companies in the country, employing over 1,500 workers, and was privatized last year under the implementation of Article 44 of the Constitution. This company has faced tensions and widespread labor protests for several months due to unpaid wages. The new wave of labor protests at Haft Tappeh followed reports of the fleeing or imprisonment of the private employer of this unit. Ali Ashraf Pouri Hosseini, the head of the Privatization Organization, announced that one of the owners of this company is imprisoned, and the other has fled. The Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers have protested what they call the "endless problems" of this company and have also demanded the payment of their overdue wages. Alireza Mahjoub, the head of the Labor Faction in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, stated that the problem of Haft Tappeh workers arose after the privatization of this unit and that this issue will be discussed in the parliament next Tuesday. According to Mahjoub, the problem stems from the fact that it was not considered what managerial capacity and financial backing the individual taking over this company from the government had. The Mizan news agency also quoted the head of the judiciary in Shush stating that the judiciary "provides necessary support for the legitimate and legal demands of Haft Tappeh sugarcane workers," but workers must "avoid any behavior that could be exploited by others and non-workers." Officials of the Islamic Republic do not have a positive view of labor protests and their media coverage, considering information dissemination in this regard as a ground for "enemy exploitation."