Iran: Azarab employees in Arak took to the streets protesting against regime’s mismanagement
Protest rally of Azarab employees in Arak, western Iran (file photo)
Reporting by PMOI/MEK
Iran, October 14, 2019—Employees of the Azarab factory in the city of Arak, western Iran, launched a demonstration on Monday, October 14, protesting poor working conditions in their factory. These workers are protesting officials’ plots to privatize the company (read plunder the workers under this pretext) their jobs remaining in limbo and resulting in poor living conditions.
These workers have provided a one-week deadline for the employers and company officials to finalize the status of the company’s main shareholder, being the state-run “Bank Keshavarzi (Farming)”.
The Azarab workers held a previous gathering on Monday, October 7, protesting not receiving their delayed paychecks and the status of stockholders remaining in limbo. In response, Iranian regime officials dispatched anti-riot units who resorted to attacking and firing tear gas into the workers’ peaceful protests.
The vicious units of the mullahs’ regime, desperate to prevent the protest from expanding across the city, stormed into the Azarab factory parking lot and prevented the personnel from entering their facilities.
To prevent any further demonstrations, state security forces took measures to surround the area where the 1,000 Azarab workers were protesting.
Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), sent a message of support to the Azarab factory workers and called on others to rise in solidarity.
“Hail to the brave workers of Azarab, Arak, who did not succumb to the clerical regime’s threats and intimidations, continuing their protest today. The regime again responded by tear gas, arrests, and beatings. Such oppression will be foiled by the courageous workers’ willpower,” Mrs. Rajavi said.
Maryam Rajavi
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@Maryam_Rajavi
Hail to the brave workers of Azarab, Arak, who did not succumb to the clerical regime’s threats &intimidations, continuing their protest today. The regime again responded by tear gas, arrests, &beatings. Such oppression will be foiled by the courageous workers’ will power. #Iran
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Also in Arak, workers of the HEPCO industrial complex held protest rallies on Sunday and were able to force company officials to succumb to their demands and refrain from privatizing the company.
In contrast to Western economies, privatization in Iran is the pseudo name plots by for regime insiders aimed at selling off such companies in order to pocket massive profits. However, the workers of those companies that are “privatized” are usually left plundered of their savings or laid off.
According to official statistics, since 2002, thousands of Iranian factories and companies have been transferred from the public to the private sector
However, what is happening behind the scenes of privatization?
The privatized factories and companies in Iran are worth $88.3 billion. However, such factories have been sold at a fraction of what they’re actual value.