The Head of 'IRIB' Also Rejects Minimum Wage; Jabali: We Pay Based on Inflation, Not the 20% Legal Increase

The head of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) announced that this organization will not comply with the budget law, stating that production wages will be calculated based on inflation rather than the 20% increase mandated by the budget law. Peyman Jabali made this statement in response to criticism regarding the unprecedented budget increase for the Islamic Republic's radio and television. According to the representative and appointee of Ali Khamenei at IRIB, if the organization attempts to proceed with a 20% wage increase, it will become 'weaker' year by year. This illegal perspective within the institution under Ali Khamenei comes at a time when wage determination for workers, who constitute a multi-million population, is being pursued with a 'time-wasting' formula and pressure for minimal increases by the government. Meanwhile, inflation has turned into a continuous series, with prices constantly soaring; an occurrence that has pushed a significant portion of society below the poverty line, leaving them as 'spectators' of price hikes like workers. Accordingly, a labor activist believes that to neutralize the impact of inflation with wage increases, the base wage for workers should reach at least 20 million and 200 thousand tomans. According to Faramarz Tofighi, the 'livelihood basket' currently amounts to 28 million and 900 thousand tomans in major cities, and 22 to 23 million tomans in smaller cities. Experts believe that the agreement between the government and parliament for a 20% wage increase next year will form the basis for a 20% increase in the minimum wage for workers; an increase that the senior manager of IRIB does not accept and believes the government should allocate more budget for this organization so that wages are paid in accordance with inflation. Despite the government's insistence on determining regional wages, wages are being determined by the previous method. Four labor organizations and groups assert that the monthly wage for workers next year should be 45 million tomans. Criticism of 'regional wages' continues; a union activist claims the government is trying to reduce workers' purchasing power. There are warnings about the weakening of livelihoods next year; wages will lag behind the inflation rate. Concurrently with the beginning of budget reviews, the Deputy of Raisi threatens the parliament; the Guardian Council rejects the 20% wage increase. A labor activist states that regional wages can only be implemented with the participation of 'real representatives' of workers. The minimum end-of-year bonus for workers is 10.6 million tomans; the scent of the bonus is the scent of poverty.