Retirees Demand Resignation of Labor Minister on International Workers' Day; Livelihood Basket Reaches 21 Million Tomans

On International Workers' Day, May 1st, gatherings and marches by workers and retirees in Iran were met with threats and arrests, as well as confrontations between officials and protesters. A labor activist reported that the livelihood basket has reached 21 million tomans per month. According to reports received by VOA on Monday, April 30, coinciding with May 1st, a large number of retirees from Haft Tappeh and Shush marched in Shush County, Khuzestan Province, chanting: 'Our rights can only be obtained on the streets' and 'Enough oppression, our table is empty.' Concurrently, independent workers' representatives from Haft Tappeh reported that 'management agents, with the help of security forces,' attacked independent labor representatives who were on a hunger strike in front of the management building. The report stated that 'security forces clashed with Youssef Bahmani and Ebrahim Abbasi,' leading to a worker protest, which resulted in security forces and company director Abdali Naseri 'premeditatedly escalating the situation.' Last week, Naseri had stated in an interview with IRNA, referring to the proverb 'the donkey belongs to whoever rides it,' that 'we have also mounted the donkey and will not dismount. We will not abandon Haft Tappeh.' Following this, the workers' representatives demanded an official apology from him. In Sari, the capital of Mazandaran Province, retirees also took to the streets, chanting: 'Our salaries are in rials, but expenses are in dollars.' On International Workers' Day, Ata Baba Khani, a retired driver and well-known member of the Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate, was arrested on Monday morning. According to the syndicate, Baba Khani was driving with his wife and child when security agents returned them home, searched their house, and arrested him. The family was told to 'refer to the Karaj Intelligence.' The Tehran and Suburbs Bus Workers' Syndicate condemned the 'continuation of repression and case-making against syndicate members and labor activists and retirees,' including 'the arrest of Ata Baba Khani and the harassment of his family,' calling for 'the cessation of prosecution and case-making and unconditional release' for this labor activist. Additionally, the Free Workers' Union of Iran reported that on Monday, several teachers in Sanandaj, including 'Reza Tahmasebi, Ghias Naimati, Majid Karimi, Baha Maleki, Faisal Noori, and Jamil Amini,' were summoned by security agencies. Furthermore, a ceremony was held by the Workers' House in Tehran to commemorate May 1st. On this day, retirees in Kermanshah also gathered, chanting: 'Retirees are oppressed, deprived of their rights,' 'Inflation is a scourge for the people,' and 'A retiree will die, but will not accept humiliation.' According to the Free Workers' Union of Iran, retirees from social security in Kerman protested against their poor living conditions and low pensions, chanting: 'Our salaries are in rials, but expenses are in dollars' and 'Labor and Welfare Minister, resign, resign.' Meanwhile, ILNA reported that the strike of contract workers at Yazd Tire has entered its third day on Monday. They are striking due to ongoing problems, poor living conditions, and low wages. These workers had previously gone on strike last February, receiving promises that their issues would be addressed, but according to them, nothing has happened so far, and employers have not fulfilled their promises. Protests on International Workers' Day occurred amid reports from ILNA that Faramarz Tofighi, a former worker representative in the Supreme Labor Council, stated on Monday that just forty days into the year 1402, the cost of the livelihood basket has significantly increased, with 'the 18 million toman livelihood basket at the beginning of the year now reaching 21 million tomans.' Various cities in Iran witnessed a surge in strikes and protests from both active and retired workers from various sectors on Sunday, April 30, ahead of International Workers' Day and Teacher's Day. On International Workers' Day, some workers from Chavar Petrochemical in Ilam reported that 200 workers from this company had been banned from entering due to labor protests. Last week, executive officials in Bushehr Province announced the dismissal of four thousand striking project workers in Assaluyeh. Currently, according to several labor organizations, project workers in over 110 industrial units across several provinces in Iran are on strike. An Iranian forensic official announced that 1,900 workers died in workplace accidents in the year 1401. A statement from 15 labor organizations declared that the 'revolutionary movement of the Iranian people' remains 'alive and dynamic.' Zartosht Ahmadi Raghb, in Evin Prison, went on a hunger strike. The continued security and judicial crackdowns on labor and civil activists in Iran persist, as protests and strikes over living conditions continue ahead of International Workers' Day.