Iranian workers condemn repressive labour laws

March 22, 2000
Issue 

By Rupen Savoulian

New, draconian labour laws recently enacted by the Iranian regime will exempt small businesses from the Islamic Labour Law, affecting 2.8 million workers and resulting in 600,000 redundancies, according to a statement by the Worker Communist Party of Iran.

Businesses with less than five workers will not have to pay the minimum wage, comply with the maximum limit on hours for each working day or provide any unemployment or health insurance. Such businesses are also exempted from health and safety standards.

The new legislation violates conventions set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), of which the Islamic regime is a signatory. Thousands of workers in Tehran have protested outside the parliament, risking imprisonment.

The workers have stated that the new legislation allows for a type of slavery, leaving them at the mercy of employers and aggravating job insecurity in a country where unemployment usually runs at 20% and inflation at 30%.

The new labour legislation comes as a Belgian magistrate starts legal proceedings against the Iranian regime for crimes against humanity. An Iranian opposition movement in Belgium has shown the magistrate videotape of dissidents in Iranian jails having their eyes gouged out and fingers amputated. The videotape was smuggled out of the country by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, a network of opposition activists.

Public demonstrations in different parts of Iran are growing by the day. In early March, 400 workers at a wood factory in Saveh south of Tehran staged a demonstration outside the governor's office to protest against the non-payment of their wages. Students at the Azad University of Shahr-e Ray in southern Tehran clashed with security forces, protesting against the Islamic regime's harsh policies and harassment of women.

In Tehran, the deputy commander of state security forces has placed his forces on high alert.

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