Safa Rolling and Pipe Mills workers protest for a third day

Over 1,000 workers at the Safa Rolling and Pipe Mills in Saveh are continuing their protest for a third day. On the second day of the protest production at the plant was brought to a standstill.

According to the Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), 26 lorry drivers who had brought raw materials for the Safa Rolling and Pipe Mills Company from Bandar Abbas gathered in front of the factory gate. The drivers also began a protest demanding payment of their unpaid wages.

One of the workers told ILNA that on February 2 a middle manager had gone to a workers’ meeting and said that if the workers are unhappy with conditions at the factory then they should present themselves to management to settle accounts. In other words, the worker would be sacked.

Last month the Saveh Security Council had ruled that on January 11, January 30, March 1 and March 16, amounts equivalent to one month’s salary would be paid to the workers, and that on March 19, their New Year and other bonuses would also be paid.

The ruling on January 20, which was signed by the employer and the Security Council, followed a workers’ protest inside the factory. They were protesting against four months’ wage arrears and non-payment of more than 16 months of insurance.

The Security Council had also ruled that the 16 months’ overdue insurance premiums must be paid to the workers before January 16. The employer paid the first installment after a one day delay but the rest has remained unpaid.