Hundreds of Iranians working in the oil, gas, and petrochemical sectors gathered on Saturday in several cities to protest their delayed and low incomes.
The protesters took the streets in Tehran, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Bushehr, Hormozgan, Kerman, and West Azerbaijan.
The workers are demanding an increase of their monthly wages to 12 million tomans (roughly £400), timely payment of their wages, and change of their shift cycle to 20 days work and 10 days leave in a month, instead of the current 24 days on and 6 days off cycle.
According to the organization for contract workers, some of their demands include maintaining health and safety standards at workplaces, better sanitary conditions in the dormitories and washrooms, an end to the militarization of the workplace, and recognizing their rights to rally and protest.
The organization warned that the workers will continue protesting until they reach their goals.
These strikes have continued despite the dismissal of 700 workers of the Tehran Refinery last Tuesday. A video released online shows the workers with termination papers in their hands.
The Industrial Global Union, which represents more than 50 million workers in various industries around the world, has released a statement in support of the contract workers' strikes in Iran.
"Once again, our Iranian brothers have shown tremendous courage and resolve in the face of oppression. They are taking collective action to defend themselves, to improve their conditions, and to demand that their homeland is built to meet the needs of the many. We salute them and stand in solidarity with their struggle and just demands,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the head of the Parliament Energy Commission in Iran, Fereydoun Hassanvand, told Fars news agency that a meeting was to be convened with oil ministry officials and regulatory bodies, for solving the recent problems of the workers and retirees in the oil industry. The results of this meeting have not been released yet.
