Widespread Strike Continues in Iran's Oil and Gas Industries; Over 20,000 Workers Have Stopped Working

On the sixth day of strikes by oil and gas industry workers, several other companies joined the protests, and on Tuesday, July 4, news sources reported that the strike has expanded to "over 20,000 workers in nearly 90 oil and gas companies." This labor strike, referred to as the "14-14 Campaign," began on June 20, and thousands of project workers in the oil and gas industries, including "about five thousand workers from Pars 1 and 2" in Assaluyeh and Kangan, have joined. Immediate demands of the striking workers include "increased wages, 14 days of work and 14 days of rest, and the elimination of contractors." The website Tejarat News confirmed on Tuesday, July 4, that the strike by project workers in Iran's oil, gas, and petrochemical industries has continued "for the sixth consecutive day." According to this report, project workers from oil and gas contracting companies have repeatedly attempted to pursue their demands through various campaigns since 2021, but they continue to face indifference from government officials. Protesters claim that this widespread strike has "put heavy pressure on contractors," and that by ceasing work, "other sectors of oil not involved in this protest are also disrupted, leading to costs for contractors." The protesters also emphasize that "unity is the key to our victory." According to this report, "the pressure from these protests has forced managers to retreat in some instances," but the protesters insist that "the strike is nationwide" and that they must "force contractors to retreat on a national level." According to the Council for Organizing Contract Workers' Protests, in some of these companies, employees have been "threatened," and two workers named "Bahrami and Mohammad Rahimi" have been arrested by the security of Golgohar Iron and Steel Development Company, and "there is still no news from them." Striking workers have also emphasized the need to improve dormitory conditions and workplace safety. Among the companies where project workers have gone on strike are "Foolad Kooshan, Azmoon Metal, and Jihadgaran with 450 workers, Kian Sazeh Petro-refinery site one, Exir Sanat, Azar Ab, Zolal Iran, Momtaz Gostar, and Omran Sahel with 530 workers, Kian Sazeh and Petro Sazeh Tadbir Royan with 190 workers, Setareh Parza and Mobin Turk with 250 workers, Refinery 13 with 60 workers, Pishgamane Siraf with 300 workers, Busher Petrochemical site one with 350 workers (Gilan Mica, Kian Nasb, and Farasco), and Dalaho Petrochemical with 350 workers." In previous days, Alireza Navaei, a labor activist residing in Paris, emphasized in an interview that the most important point in the protests of project workers in recent years is that "they no longer look to the Supreme Labor Council and government institutions and declare as a labor power that if wages are not increased to a satisfactory level, the days off do not reach 14, and working and living conditions on the project do not improve, we will not work." According to this labor activist, the form of protest by project workers is to leave the workplace and return home to be with their families, and they continue to follow the protest from their homes. Additionally, Sadegh Kargar, a union activist residing in Norway, stated that "amidst deafening propaganda under the pretext of holding sham elections, where the government’s selected candidates are busy making colorful deceptive promises," the strike of project workers is ongoing in dozens of contracting companies. The expansion of protests by various groups, including those who have lost their savings, retirees, workers from various industries, teachers, and nurses, indicates increasing economic problems in Iran and the indifference of Islamic Republic officials.