Alirza Quluncu, Voice of America, May 10, 2019
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| Ural Hatemi |
According to sociologist Ural Hatemi, the situation of workers in Iran, in terms of household difficulties, work safety, and the conditions for organizing, is far below the global average.
In an interview with Voice of America, the author of the journal Maduniyet, published in Ankara, evaluated the situation of workers in Iran and the role of trade unions.
"I addressed these three categories because they have become a crisis in Iran, not just a problem. Household difficulties are very serious... The complete banning of unions (trade unions) and the total lack of workers' rights is a huge problem. Workers cannot express themselves in any way. If they do, they are arrested," said the researcher.
According to him, "Although these issues are problems in all countries, their level varies from country to country. Moreover, the issue of workers' organization has been resolved in many countries to a serious extent. For example, the formation of trade unions. So, while these are global problems, in Iran, we see a situation that is far below the global average."
Ural Hatemi emphasizes that workers do not have the right to representation in committees that make decisions regarding their daily lives:
"How can the state represent the worker, the laborer? How can the state speak on behalf of the worker in negotiations about work contracts? How can the state say whether the worker’s stomach is full or empty? This is something the worker himself must say. But how can the worker say this? Channels and pathways must be opened for the worker to express himself."
The author of Maduniyet continues, "The worker cannot properly express his rights and interests. This can only be done through organization and unionization... A representative must be sent from the union to negotiate the salary issue. But this does not exist. Labor law does not allow for the representation of workers. The Islamic Republic of Iran especially does not allow for organization."
He also points out that the majority of the poor in Iran are actually working people.
"Not all the poor in Iran are unemployed. A large percentage of the poor are working people. They both work and are poor. This means that the salary they receive is not enough. There are 14 million workers in the country. It is said that 70 percent of them live below the poverty line. We see this in the official figures provided by authorities," Ural Hatemi adds.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Ural Hatəmi: İranda yoxsulların əksəriyyəti çalışan insanlardır