12 March, 2010
Based on a report by the Ad Hoc Council of Isfahan Steel Workers, the evening shift contract workers at the coke production division of Isfahan Steel went on strike for about two hours on March 8. The division manager named Eshrafi met with the striking workers to head off the protests. The workers were protesting the low level of wages received for the Persian year ending in March. According to the workers, the wages received for the same period the year before was twice the amount on offer. The workers tore up the payment stubs handed out in Eshrafi’s presence.
Eshrafi asked the workers to return to work and promised to convey their grievences to senior management. While the Mobarke Steel contract workers have received the equivalent of over two thousand dollars for their past wages and wage increases, this has not been matched at Isfahan. On the contrary, since becoming “direct contract” workers (i.e. not sub-contracted) at Isfahan Steel, they have actually seen their wages decline somewhat. They are also entitled to the new year bonuses like other government employees. However, these bonuses have not been forthcoming either.
On a separate note, 20 Ehya-Gostaran Espadan workers at Isfahan Steel have been summoned to court on the basis of a lawsuit filed by Isfahan Steel. The company claims it has suffered hundreds of thousands of US dollars in losses because of an earlier strike by workers and wants to be compensated
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