Isfahan Polyacryl Workers Protests over Job Security, Four Arrested

Iran Labor Report

Polyacryl workers started a second round of protests over job security on November 16 in Isfahan. Talking to Iranian Labour News Agency (ILNA), one of the workers representatives said that more than 700 workers spent the night on November 18 at the factory mosque and joined with more co-workers, about 1000 workers continued their ongoing protest to the next day.

Polyacryl is the holding company specializing in polyester and acrylic cotton and fiber employing 1500 workers organized into ten separate subsidiaries, started two decades ago. The management decided to divide the operations and break down the company making some of the workers to sign contracts with these subsidiaries instead which led to workers concerns over their job security. The concerns led to the first run of protests on October 30, November 2, 3 and 5. The workers gave a 10 day recess to give an opportunity for the management to address their concerns.

With ending of the 10 days, the workers resumed their protests by their gatherings in the factory compounds on November 17, 18, 19 and 20.

In a 10 point letter, the workers called for stepping down of some of the board members of the company and a review of their action on the board. Return to work of those expelled due to their trade activities are also among the workers demands. The company’s Islamic Labor Council was shut down a year and a half ago and the activists associated with the Council were expelled from the company.

A meeting was held on November 18 between the workers representatives and Mobarakeh governor. While the workers told ILNA that in their meeting they were told that the breakdown will continue but that will not affect their employment contracts, Mehdi Soleymani, the governor, denied the workers claim and said the division has been ordered to stop.

The workers on their November 21 gathering decided to continue with daily protests with gatherings at 7 to 8 a.m. and 3 to 4 p.m. The workers have decided to make sure on the peaceful nature of their protests and restrain from any stoppage of production in order to take away any pretexts from side tracking the workers trade demands.

On the same day, according to ILNA, four Polyacryl workers, Javad Lotfi, Abbas Haghigh, Kioumars Rahimi and Ahmad Saberi were arrested and transferred to the city of Dastgerd, 13 Kilometers north of Isfahan. Ahmad Saberi was present at November 18 meetings with Mobarakeh city officials as a worker representative.

According to ILNA, management has decided to sub-divide the company by transferring the lab to Nikazmoon Arya, the power plant to Energy Gostaran, polyester unit to Hasht Behesht Polyester, acryl 2 to Zayandehrud Fiber, jetty construction to Commercial and Port Services of Iran and services to Pahn Gostar.

According to a worker representative, the families of the four arrested workers have been told that the arrested labor representatives will be transferred to the city of Mobarakeh following the judicial procedures.