Tehran, Iran, May 1
By Mehdi Sepahvand - Trend:
Large crowd of Iranian workers held a Workers' Day march on Friday.
The demonstrators congregated in front of the House of Workers in downtown Tehran before they started their march, IRNA news agency reported May 1.
Hassan Sadeqi, a Workers Society figure speaking during the congregation demanded that the government pay more attention to workers' livelihood.
In a statement read at the end of the demonstration, the workers called for permission to hold the occasion publically every year.
International Workers' Day had not been celebrated in Iran for eight years.
The statement also called for attention to domestic production and support for workers. It also demanded abiding by retirement law in the case of dangerous and hazardous jobs, fuller protection by insurance plans, work safety, and healthcare services.
Especially in the private sector, Iranian workers have been frequently calling for more suitable work conditions and protection.
In the latest such event, some 1000 workers of Safa Rolling and Pipe Mills Co. went on strike for several days in early February. Workers congregated on the company's premises and demanded the company's authorities give them four months of back pay as well as 16 months of insurance due.
Edited by CN
Mehdi Sepahvand is Trend Agency's journalist in Iran, follow him on Twitter: @mehdisepahvand