Steel Workers on Fifth Day of Strike: If Our Problem Is Not Solved, Ahvaz Will Be Catastrophic

Despite warnings from the Ministry of Labor to the protesters, the strike by workers at the National Industrial Steel Group in Ahvaz continued for the fifth consecutive day. During a protest march on Wednesday, January 6, the demonstrators chanted: "If our problem is not solved, Ahvaz will be catastrophic." According to reports from the Telegram channel of the Independent Voice of the Workers of the National Steel Group and the Free Workers Union of Iran, the strike continues while the management and security of the company have blocked the entry cards of 17 more workers, and by Monday, January 4, at least 38 workers from this group have been suspended due to protesting the non-implementation of the classification plan. The continuation of the workers' protests comes as the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor and Social Welfare of Khuzestan Province on Tuesday, January 5, responded to the ongoing strike by asking them to "pursue their demands through legal channels and without creating conflicts that actually marginalize their rights." The dire economic situation in recent months has repeatedly brought various professions to the streets to protest, with occupational and livelihood gatherings held several days a week in cities across Iran. Economist Reza Qureshi previously told the Voice of America that, considering the Islamic Republic's budget bill, the economic situation for the people of Iran will worsen.