Teachers and the Challenge of 'No to Pay Slips and Legal Rulings'

Reports from social media indicate the beginning and expansion of the challenge 'No to Pay Slips and Legal Rulings' by teachers in Iran in recent days. According to the 'Khabar Online' website, this challenge was launched simultaneously with the announcement of new rulings for teachers by the Ministry of Education and a 6 to 10 percent increase in their salaries by some teachers' union activists on social media. Jaafar Ebrahimi, an inspector of the Coordinating Council of Teachers' Unions across Iran, stated that this challenge began on July 20 and will continue for 10 days. Ebrahimi added that the goal of the teachers' union activists is to say, 'When the poverty line is over four million tomans, it is unjust for a teacher's salary to be below two million tomans.' According to the Tasnim news agency, teachers have stated that they were promised a 20 percent salary increase in 2018. Ebrahimi criticized the Planning and Budget Organization, stating that its policies have led to 'an inadequate and unworthy budget for teachers' salaries and quality education for students.' He pointed out that 'the Ministry of Education's disregard for the livelihood and demands of teachers will put all components of the country's educational system, including teachers and students, in serious crises.' The rulings regarding the 6 to 10 percent salary increase for teachers were issued with several months of delay, during which teachers' union activists believe that the salaries and benefits outlined in the pay slips 'do not correspond at all with the increase in inflation, the quality of living, and the dignity of teachers.' Some of these rulings are even lower than the inflation rate announced by government agencies. Additionally, according to Tasnim news agency, educators are protesting the removal of certain items from their pay slips, such as 'the family allowance for single daughters and the hardship allowance for teachers and administrators.' The report states that the removal of the family allowance from the pay slips of single daughters has reduced their salaries by 150,000 tomans monthly, which is a significant amount considering the salary levels of educators. The removal of the hardship allowance for teachers and administrators has also sparked widespread protests among them. In response, officials from the Ministry of Education stated that the removed items were done according to the orders of the Court of Audit and that they were obliged to implement it. In the 'No to Pay Slips and Legal Rulings' challenge on social media, teachers are protesting by tearing their pay slips, denouncing what they call injustice in Iran's educational structure. Recently, this challenge has moved beyond social media, with gatherings held by some teachers in front of the Education Department in the provinces of Fars and Qazvin. Protesters, while demanding higher salaries, have called for 'reform of teachers' insurance, payment of the government's overdue insurance share, payment of service bonuses for retirees from 2017, quality education, removal of the hardship salary coefficient for teachers, administrators, and administrative staff, changing the security perspective towards union activists, and decentralizing educational policies.' In this context, Ebrahimi accused the government of reducing the quality of education for students by cutting budgets and school per capita funding, stating, 'They have their hands in the pockets of the people.' This teachers' rights activist said, 'On television, they announce that taking money is illegal, but on the other hand, they issue directives to collect money from parents, putting parents against schools and teachers.' He added, 'This money does not flow into teachers' pockets, and we have no separate interests from students and other people in Iran regarding livelihood; our interests are shared. If we talk about improving the livelihood and dignity of teachers, it is because if a teacher has a sufficient income, they will not seek a second job and will dedicate more time to the quality of education.' On the other hand, Fatemeh Saidi, a member of the Education and Research Commission of the Parliament, commented on the teachers' protests to Tasnim news agency, stating, 'Teachers have faced removals in their new rulings and are currently concerned about these removals. These issues should be examined in the Education and Research Commission of the Parliament to determine the reasons behind this level of teachers' protests.' The 'No to Pay Slips and Legal Rulings' challenge has emerged at a time when teachers have repeatedly protested their living conditions and educational problems in recent years. Following these protests, several teachers' rights activists have been arrested and imprisoned on security charges. Currently, Ismail Abdi, Mahmoud Beheshti Langaroudi, and Mohammad Habibi are in prison. Teachers' and workers' unions, as well as human rights organizations, have repeatedly called for the release of these imprisoned activists.