|
Norwegian Hotel and restaurant workers union protests violent attack on Asia textile workers in Kerman-Iran From: OHRAF/Oslo_og_Akershus@loit.no Add to Address Book Dear Mr President I have gotten hold of information that on Wednesday the 27 of July a protest of about 100 textile workers in the south eastern province of Kerman - most of them women - was violently attacked by the Iranian regime’s security forces, according to the state news agency ILNA. The workers of Asia Wool-Spinning Company were protesting at the non-payment of their wages and benefits. Each worker in this company is owed up to 3 million Tomans (about $3,500) in unpaid wages. The workers blocked the main road outside the factory to highlight their protest. However, the security forces started attacking the workers. A pregnant woman was dragged on the road and kicked in the back. Another worker had her leg injured when it was caught under the wheel of a vehicle, which had been ordered to move by the security forces. The workers said their attempts over the years to bring their plight to the attention of the authorities had led them nowhere. Hundreds of thousands of workers in Iran continue to suffer from long delays in the payment of their wages – sometimes for up to two years; a fact also highlighted by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in this year’s International Labour Conference. The disastrous consequences of unpaid wages for workers in Iran, who can barely survive on the basic pay in any case, are all too obvious. Withholding workers’ pay must be treated as a grave criminal offence, and the government in Iran held to account for this catastrophic situation for Iranian workers. I trust that You will take action in this case, and make sure these and other workers will be paid in full. Regards TLF: 23061785 E-postadresse: ohraf@loit.no Postadresse: Pb. 8770, Youngstorget, 0028 Oslo |