Strike at 9 South Pars Refineries; Contract Workers in Oil-rich Regions Gather in Ahvaz

Two labor organizations in Iran reported labor strikes at 9 refineries in South Pars and a gathering of contract workers from oil-rich regions in Ahvaz on Saturday, January 30. According to the Council for Organizing Protests of Contract Oil Workers (Third Elements), contract workers, administrative-support staff, service workers, and drivers from contracting companies at refineries 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 12 in South Pars began their strike at 7 AM on Saturday by participating in protest gatherings. They are demanding the "elimination of contracting companies, full implementation of the job classification plan, access to oil-gas cards, gift cards, and the application of 2-on-2 leave for support workers." The striking workers stated that they will continue to extend the hours and days of their gatherings until their demands are met and officials and managers respond. According to the Council for Organizing Protests of Informal Workers (Third Elements), attempts by refinery managers and security to disperse the workers have failed. The ILNA news agency also briefly reported that contract workers at South Pars gas complexes gathered for the third consecutive week on Saturday, January 30. Meanwhile, the Council for Organizing Protests of Contract Oil Workers reported that the third protest gathering of contract workers in oil-rich regions took place on Saturday in front of the Oil-rich Regions Headquarters in Ahvaz. The demand of these contract workers is the full implementation of the wage directive from December 2021. The council did not provide further details on this matter. In recent months, protests by workers and employees in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors have increased. In this context, protests by official oil workers employed at the continental oil company in Behregan and Lavan on Friday, January 29, can be noted. Official oil workers are demanding the "elimination of the salary ceiling for operational area workers, reform and increase of the minimum wage for newly hired employees, removal of main specialized and general support titles, prohibition of the separation of workers employed in a common geographical area, elimination of the retirement bonus ceiling for operational area workers, provision of tax exemption opportunities for workers in operational areas, and payment of arrears under Article 10."