The protest by daily-wage workers at the Phase 2 Bid Boland Refinery in Behbahan has entered its 40th consecutive day. These workers, who say they have been fired, have staged continuous rallies in front of the refinery for over a month, demanding an investigation into their employment status and unpaid claims.
The Free Union of Iranian Workers reported that the protesting workers have filed complaints with the local governorate, the labor department, and the judiciary, but have received no response. According to the laborers, the local prosecutor, instead of addressing their grievances, has threatened them with arrest warrants.
At the same time, the workers criticized remarks made by Mehrshad Dastourian, the complex director and deputy CEO of the Phase 2 Bid Boland Refinery. According to the protesters, he explicitly told them, “Do whatever you want; you hold no cards.”
The ongoing standoff at Bid Boland coincides with a surge in labor protests across several Iranian cities in recent weeks:
Yasuj: Workers report being forced to sign settlement forms certifying that they received full payment, without actually being paid their overdue wages.
