Unpaid worker commits suicide

Iran Press News: Translation by Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi

Ninety workers of the PARS IRAN textile company who have not been paid in more than 14 months in a letter to Ahmadinejad demanded that the he investigate and resolve their labour issues.

The regime-run news agency ILNA printed the letter which also indicated: "We the workers of the PARS IRAN textile company of the province of Gilan (also known as Rasht) have been laid off for 10 months now and have not received our salaries for over 14 months. Our employer also owes us our severance package as well as all other legal benefits, totaling to more than $5500 each. Given all this, we have contacted governmental organizations from the governor's office, to central command, the labor department, Gilan's industries association, Ministry of Intelligence and Security, et al and not one has lifted a finger to help us resolve our problems. The office of the president has allegedly written an official letter to the office of the governor of Gilan asking them to look into this matter however, so far nothing has been done."

The workers have also included in their letter that due to their financial strains that each of them are suffering from some form or other of illness. They mentioned that their colleagues Ali Zel-Taa'at who was under a huge amount of stress and suffered from heart trouble, suffered a massive coronary and died in the middle of the street and another of their fellow workers, Sasan Etmeenan, hanged himself a few days before his daughter's wedding because he was destitute and was unable to help with his daughter's wedding expenses.

In recent months, the number of suicides among workers has skyrocketed; some of the workers have even committed suicide with their families.

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