Islamic Republic and its Extensive Cooperation with International Organization
for Employers (IOE)
Brent Wilton, Secretary General of the International Organization for
Employers (IOE), spent one day out of his three day visit to Iran in Yazd Province Wilton
indicated, “What I have seen is very different from what I had heard about Iran and it changed my point of view concerning Iran ……. Iran’s
management organization in the region is very important for the International
Organization (for Employers)……..Our advise to governments is to get the
private sector involved, provide counsel and establish organizations similar to
the management organizations in the labor sector.”
Privatization and Devastation of Workers’ Job Security
In a conversation with ILNA, on October 14, 2014, Mohammad Ali Madady, a
member of the Islamic Republic Parliament’s Economic Commission indicated,
“Melat Bank does not have the required capability for owning Azarbijan’s steel mill
company…… Investigation has revealed, this factory was sold to private sector
80 million dollars (one dollar is approximately 3200 Tomans), bellow its real
value…….Sales to private sector ……are being done according to taste and vast violations;
they have put a for sale sign on national assets….. According to the President
of the Privatization Organization, most privatizations have been done during
2013 and 2014; and most of them have problems…… With my own eyes I see
conspiracy and clear violations taking place in privatizations; over night they
put the company in high-exchange auction and ultimately they sell it to certain
people……Private sector has only recognized 241 of the 750 workers (workers
employed by the factory)……condition of the rest is unknown.”
Women’s Employment will be curtailed
After pre-school teachers’ protest gatherings, where they are rightfully
concerned of their current and future living conditions, and up to now, despite
promises they have not been hired officially; by presenting a plan to the
Islamic Republic’s parliament, 36 of the representatives demanded further
curtailment for women’s employment.
Workers’ Rights in the Free Economic Zones are being trampled on
Workers’ Insurance Benefits Collected in the Geshm Island’s Free Trade Zone
are being trampled on by the Management of the Free Trade Zone Organization
In persistent implementation of the International Monetary Fund’s and World
Bank’s dictated policies, Islamic Republic is making all its efforts for
destruction of the Social Security Organization and plunder of its assets and
capital; assets accumulated through decades of workers’ payments to their
insurance fund; where 30 percent of the workers’ monthly salary was deducted by
this Organization for their retirement and medical care.
In the so called Free Economic Zones, they have denied workers of their
most fundamental rights. According to a labor activist in the Geshem Island
During these 18 months, not only even one worker has not been insured, but insurance
share of 800 housing workers have been canceled as well; and 5.6 million
dollars of management portion of the housing workers’ insurance benefits has
been swindled.
Children’s Work in Brick Factories
According to September 19, 2014 ILNA’s report, President of the Shams-Abad Brick
Factory Workers’ Trade Association, while pointing to difficulties these
families are facing when enrolling their children in current school year, he
stated, “In most cases, the schools around brick factories are full to their
maximum capacity; and enrollment for children of this group of workers often
become possible only with pleading and begging.
Most workers employed in the brick factories, after their children reach a
certain age, instead of attending schools, they prefer their children to work
and help them. This preference is not due to the lack of conscious for realizing
the importance of education; but, it is because of having no other alternatives
for providing for their living.
Sources: Iranian Labor News
Agency (ILNA), Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA), and Mehr News Agency
