Iran’ economic situation has deteriorated in recent months but lack of cash flow, rising energy costs, high inflation, corruption and sanctions threats are just some causes that threat Iranian workers every day.
Most of manufacturing companies produce at their lowest capacity. The market is flooded with imported substandard stuffs or contraband items with cheaper price that is preferred by people who are in financial struggle. Employers deny to pay employees or pay late and Iranian unionists and labor activists are in prison. Even people who do find employment often have to contend with job insecurity or part time work. Where the fair wages, health care, and workplace safety are main issues for Iranian workers, most of employers offer temporary contracts to them. Indeed, Iranian workers are not only deprived of their wages but of their basic rights.
Most of Iranian fresh graduated cannot find the right job and the employed people are feared by unemployment and rising costs. Not only manufacturing companies and Startups but also governmental organizations have forced to lay off their workers. This happens while living costs have spiked in Iran and pushes millions into extreme poverty.
Whereas corruption spreads all over governmental sectors, no one wants to stop it. This has caused havoc in the Iran’ economy while the government ignore its role on spreading Neoliberalism policies and argue that all relates to sanctions. The Iran government manipulated figures but it doesn’t work more. Following related news about Iranian workers who join street protests over high inflation and economic hardships alongside daily news about embezzlement scandals become ordinary.
Impeaching Iran’ labor minister in parliament on 8th Aug 2018 is a true picture of crisis time for Iranian workers. Before impeachment, former labor minister like other cabinet members had shifted existed problems to U.S. sanctions and had said that due to it one million jobs will be lost until March 2019 (US sanctions could destroy a million jobs: Iran’s labor ministry, 2018)[1]. Delayed and unpaid wages, citing rising unemployment were considered as main reasons to vote against Iran labor minister while the members of parliament disgracing each other on illegal benefits that were received by themselves. However, the tragedies for Iranian workers become funny when head of state welfare organization (a subsidiary of Iran’ Labor Ministry) who was condemned corruption during impeaching labor minister, was replaced with him (Impeaching Iranian labor minister, 2018)[2]!
Iran’ pool of talent is highly educated. According to the World Economic Forum, Iran is one of countries with the most engineering, manufacturing and construction graduates. However, most of them can’t plan for their economic futures for much more than a year at a time.
The question is why giving priority to productive employment of the country especially for educated population were ignored?
This is a kleptocracy whereas country suffers from a lack of transparent and comprehensive data across all its sectors but the oligarchs abuse and steal from workers. The government have been deaf and the Iranian workers who join protesters want to return to a time they’ve lost. They are outcome of government’ circumstance not sanctions.
Is it time that Iran’ government acknowledge the Iranian workers’ problems?
References:
[1] US sanctions could destroy a million jobs: Iran’s labor ministry. (2018, April 8). Retrieved August, 2018, from www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/04082018
[2] Impeaching Iranian labor minister. (2018, August 8). Retrieved August, 2018, from https://www.radiozamaneh.com/406753