Continued Protests by Contract Workers at South Pars Refineries

Protests by workers at the South Pars refineries, which began in early Mordad (July), continue unabated. The government news agency ILNA reported on Friday, November 9, confirming the ongoing protests in this sector, stating that this round of protests was initiated in coordination with the Association of South Pars Refinery Workers. According to the report, the main demands of the workers are 'the proper implementation of the job classification plan' and a 'fair payment system' that is on par with official and contract workers, following previous agreements with the Ministry of Oil. ILNA added that other demands of the protesters include the implementation of the job classification plan for non-owner drivers, organizing traffic and ensuring job security, non-discriminatory implementation of a 14-day work and 14-day rest schedule for administrative and support staff, and entitlement to leave and payment for camp rights. In this regard, Alireza Mir Ghafari, a member of the Supreme Association of Workers and Chairman of the Board of the Association of Gas Refinery Workers in Bushehr Province, told the news agency that these protests are continuing with national interests in mind and without harming production until their demands are met. He emphasized that this new wave of protests began with the formation of the fourteenth government, and unfortunately, no contact has been made by regional, provincial, or national managers or the Ministry of Oil with the workers and their representatives. The Telegram channel 'Kargah', which publishes labor news in Iran, also reported on the continuation of protests by contract workers at the South Pars gas refineries. These gatherings, known as 'Protest Tuesdays', occur every Tuesday 'in protest against the government's failure to fulfill the workers' demands.' In recent years, protests in Iran's oil and gas regions have shown an increasing trend. This trend, alongside the expansion of protests by workers, retirees, teachers, nurses, and other wage earners, has led to security and judicial confrontations by the Islamic Republic. Nevertheless, such confrontations have not prevented the expansion of protests, especially as the living conditions of workers and other wage earners have become very difficult. Currently, the minimum monthly wage for workers covered by labor law, married with children, is about 11 million tomans, while according to some estimates by labor activists who previously held positions in government institutions, the cost of living has reached about 37 million tomans per month. Videos related to the protests of workers at Avaye Jahanbin against the dismissal of workers from the desalination project, protests by workers against the prevention of four workers from entering the third South Pars refinery by security, widespread strikes by nurses in several cities coinciding with Nurse Day, and reports of the resignation of 700 workers in the mining sector due to unmet promises.