On 22nd November 2018, sugar cane workers of Haft Tapeh in Khuzestan province, Iran, held their 18th day of strike in front of the governor’s office and in the streets of Shush city.
Some of the representatives of the striking workers had a meeting with the Minister of Labour who promised to pay some of their unpaid wages, but the workers insisted that even if all the unpaid wages are paid there will be “no negotiation until all detained workers are free!”
To ease the pressure, the authorities were forced to free three of the detained workers. Mohamad Khanifar, Moslem Armand and Seyed Fazel Khanifar were released. However, the striking workers insist on the release of all arrested workers. Ismail Bakhshi and Sepideh Gholiani (student activist and journalist) are still in custody.
The news about the release of the workers and the offer from the authorities was released in a statement by the Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh that also reported that there have been some attempts to derail the strike. The statement mentions attempts to reduce the workers’ demands to the single issue of unpaid wages and lists all workers’ demands, including the matter of ownership of the corporation and the release of the workers’ leaders and representatives.
The striking workers have received support from many organisations in Iran and abroad. A list of the organisations will be published soon.
#WPIranNews #FightForLife #SugarCaneWorkers #WorkersAndThePeople
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