Workers of Third-Party and Support Staff at South Pars Gas Complex Protest

Two oil worker organizations in Iran announced that unofficial (third-party) workers and support staff at the South Pars Gas Complex protested on Saturday, December 4, against low wages and unmet demands. According to the Council for Organizing Protests of Unofficial Oil Workers (Third-Party) and the Council for Organizing Protests of Contract Oil Workers, 'the lack of revision in the job classification plan, the implementation of two weeks of work and two weeks of rest for administrative and support staff, inadequate dormitory infrastructure, worn-out facilities and equipment, and the exclusion of non-owner drivers from labor law' were among the demands of third-party workers. The Council for Organizing Protests of Contract Oil Workers noted that third-party workers and support staff at the fourth, seventh, and ninth refineries of South Pars had gathered last week to achieve their demands. Previously, unofficial workers (third-party) had held a protest at the Abadan refinery. Sadegh Kargar, a labor activist residing in Norway, pointed out that without a large-scale collective strike, the government would not respond to their demands. He stated that 'most of the workers' demands, except for shift work and poor dormitory conditions, are similar to those of other workers and retirees in various jobs.' He added, 'Wage increases, implementation of the job classification law, and inclusion under labor law are demands raised among workers in various industries and are a common motivation for most occupational groups.' Kargar emphasized that 'the demand for wage increases is a nationwide demand, which, in addition to the employed, retirees have also been calling for through street protests for months.' This labor activist referred to the 27% increase in the minimum wage this year, stating that this occurred while the official inflation rate was at least 47%, adding, 'Along with the depreciation of wages and the simultaneous increase in essential goods, housing costs, bread, etc., the purchasing power of wage earners has fallen even further.' He added, 'Current wage levels compared to living costs, which have reached 30 million tomans in large cities, and the failure of repeated demands for wage increases and adjustments, along with increasing economic pressure on the workforce, have left no option but to strike and protest.' Kargar further noted that the government of Ebrahim Raisi, instead of increasing wages, plans to add only 18% to wages in its budget for the coming year, stating, 'The result of this will be a 27% reduction in wage power compared to current inflation, provided that the inflation rate does not rise above this.' He stressed that 'this situation is unbearable for wage earners, and consequently, strikes will expand, and there is no other way.' This labor activist believes that 'scattered protests, even if somewhat organized, are not sufficient to address the situation' and added, 'Protests are good, but inadequate and have little impact.' Kargar considered the solution to workers' problems and demands to be 'simultaneous and organized strikes and efforts to garner support from various segments of society for the strikes and demands of workers.' He added, 'Oil workers are in a better position to initiate a strike in the oil industry compared to other workers because they have always played a leading role in decisive strikes.' Kargar noted that 'despite all the changes made to atomize oil workers in the years following the 1979 revolution, they have still retained their capacity for leadership and guidance to some extent,' stating, 'Past experiences should have convinced them that without a widespread collective strike, the government will not yield to their demands.' Behrouz Farahani, a member of the Socialist Solidarity Group with Workers in Iran residing in Paris, pointed out in an interview that attention to these strikes in the strategic oil industry is becoming increasingly important. He said, 'With the third-party worker strikes following the strikes of official employees and especially two massive strikes of project workers, it has become clear that the hellish monthly inflation growth is putting even this segment of workers and employees, who earn more than the average salaries in Iran, under economic pressure.' Farahani believes that 'the duty of labor activists is to strive to create connections, coordination, and, if possible, simultaneous protests and strikes,' adding, 'In this case, the workers' protest movement in Iran will take a significant step forward.' This labor activist stated, 'Considering that over 80% of industrial workshops in Iran are small workshops, the key role of these complexes is not only due to their key economic position but also because they provide important opportunities for organizing the labor movement, making the time to move in this direction more possible than ever.'