With less than a month left before the new Iranian calendar year begins on March 21, workers continue to negotiate for an increase in the minimum wage. Workers have stressed that a 15-percent increase is not adequate.
Employers insists that any increase in the minimum wage should be based on the rate of inflation, but workers stress that the economic pressures of recent years have made the situation more complex and they want fundamental change to improve the lot of workers.
The Mehr News Agency reports that this week the Supreme Council of Labour will have an important meeting to set the minimum wage for the coming year. The meeting will probably be attended by the ministers of industry and labour, and employer representatives will present them with a package advocating for a 15-percent increase. Worker representatives have stressed that they do not agree with this package and are going to challenge it.
An earlier report on ILNA comparing the minimum wage of workers with the average cost of living in the city revealed that such an income covers only half of the monthly expenses of a family of four.
Worker representatives have warned that they will not sign a package that is based solely on the inflation rate.
