A group of workers gathered in front of Iranian parliament on the occasion of the International Worker’s Day to protest against their inadequate wages in the face of rising inflation.
ILNA reports that the workers held a protest demanding a reconsideration of the minimum wage increase which was approved for this year.
Meanwhile official May Day events took place at Motamedi Stadium in southern Tehran after the Interior Ministry refused to issue a parade permit to Worker’s House organizers.
Four thousand workers attended the event on May 1, after two applications by the Worker’s House to organize a parade were met with silence from the Interior Ministry.
Alireza Mahjoub, the head of the Worker’s House, told the gathering that the real rate of inflation is at 40 percent, adding that the 25-percent wage increase approved for workers this year does not correspond in any way with the everyday expenses of the labour force.
He also criticized the inadequacy of insurance offered to construction workers as well as long working hours.
For the past six years, the Ministry of Interior has refused to allow workers to organize a parade for International Worker’s Day.
