Thousands of workers at the Iran Khodro Car Manufacturing Company are reported to be on strike. The protest began in the form of hunger strike on June 28, and expanded across the company, with thousands of workers joining protests and strike actions since then. Workers' demands include:
* Freedom of labor organizing and a prohibition of entry by the security guards to the workstations.
* End to mandatory over-time
* Increases to the productivity benefits
* Wage increases, adjusted to the increases to the cost of living
* The hiring of workers on a permanent basis, and an end to temporary contracts
* A halt to the expansion of subcontracting companies; all workers should be under the Iran Khodro
* Participation of workers' representatives in management decision making committees
* Participation of workers' representatives at the hazardous work committee
* Reduction of work pressures through hiring new employees.
After workers went on strike, the company issued a statement in charging that the strike was called following the agitation of "banned" left opposition groups, such a the Worker-communism Unity Party, and asked workers to report any subversive activities to the company's security. Despite management threats, the strike still continues as of July 1. (International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran—IASWI [2], July 1)
See our last posts on Iran [3], the labor struggle [4].
