Warning from a Labor Activist: The Role of Organizations and 'Dispute Resolution Boards' Removed in the 'Labor Law Reform' Bill

Ali Khodaei, a labor activist and member of the board of the government-affiliated 'Supreme Council of Islamic Labor Councils of the Country,' criticized the job security bill and 'Labor Law Reform,' stating that no role has been designated for labor organizations and the name 'Dispute Resolution Boards' has been removed. According to the ILNA news agency, this board member expressed concerns that the bill, which is on the verge of being sent to the parliament, alters sections of the labor law such as Articles 7, 9, and 27, raising fears that 'various sections of the labor law, which unfortunately the government and responsible institutions do not comply with, will be encroached upon.' This labor activist pointed out another major issue with the bill: 'white contracts,' suggesting that the misuse of white contracts will be addressed in the labor law, and there will be no penalties for violating employers. He explained the illegality of white contracts, which have become common among employers due to the lack of oversight by the Ministry of Labor, stating that 'if such contracts are signed, the worker has the right to file a complaint with judicial authorities.' Khodaei criticized the ambiguous language of the bill regarding white contracts and penalties for employers, saying that the drafting is unclear and 'it seems that the task of work in labor offices will be defined, and the maximum penalty for the employer will be the rejection of these white contracts.' He also considered the role of labor organizations in the labor discipline regulations as another flaw in the proposed bill, stating that despite the inclusion of labor discipline regulations in several sections of the bill, no role has been designated for labor organizations. 'The presence of a worker representative or labor organization must be clearly seen in the drafting of disciplinary regulations,' he added. He also explained that the name 'Dispute Resolution Boards' has been removed after 'Determination Boards,' while in all stages of addressing workers' claims, 'if a worker objects to the decision of the Determination Board, they can complain to the Dispute Resolution Board.' Khodaei expressed concern about the legal process of this bill, stating that if these issues are not resolved in later stages with the cooperation and participation of workers, 'it could be harmful and worsen the current situation of workers.' Previously, the Deputy Minister of Labor of the Islamic Republic, following increased protests regarding the amount and method of determining the minimum wage for workers for the new year, stated that what is called the 'Labor Law Reform Bill' will be 'soon' presented to the government. According to the 'Tasnim' news agency, close to the security institutions of the Iranian government, Ali-Hossein Raiti-Fard, Deputy of Labor Relations at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare of the Islamic Republic, stated: 'The proposed bill to amend certain articles of the labor law for determining workers' wages will soon be submitted to the government.' He claimed that in recent years, 'baseless accusations' have been directed at the Supreme Labor Council, adding that 'the government intends to utilize the capacity of representatives from various segments and classes in the Islamic Consultative Assembly to determine workers' wages.' The discussion of wage determination in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, which has also been expressed by officials from the Ministry of Cooperatives, Labor, and Social Welfare in recent weeks, has faced significant criticism. In recent years, protests by workers and other wage earners in various regions of Iran have expanded, including against low wages, delayed payment of wages and benefits, layoffs, and the privatization of factories and companies. Strikes at the 'Sodium Carbonate' factory in Semnan, and workers of third-party oil companies are demanding the complete elimination of contracting companies. There is a serious livelihood crisis in Iran; the government has 'no will to repair wages.' Another collapse at a coal mine in Kerman resulted in one death and five injuries.