Mass Layoff: About 330 Workers Laid Off in Two Factories

Approximately 330 workers—150 workers at Iran-Mayeh Tabriz and 180 workers at Azim Khodro—have been laid off. Both mass layoffs appear to be the result of factory closure.

According to HRANA, the news agency of Human Rights Activists, quoting ILNA, Iran-Mayeh Tabriz has been shut down since early spring. The yeast manufacturing plant, owned by a Turkish investor, laid off approximately 150 workers over the course of several months.

“In December 2020, about 40 workers were laid off with the promise of getting back to work after relaunching the pertinent factory unit”, commented one of the laid-off workers. “Not only [did] that never [happen], but they also laid off the rest of 110 workers on March 12, 2021”.

He added: “To dissuade us from filing a complaint to the labour office, they paid two months wages and promised that they [would] reopen the factory within six months. During this time, some workers, under financial pressure, left this job either to get unemployment benefits or find another job. However, about 27 workers complained to the Ministry of Labour. [The Ministry] ordered employee retention and the continuation of wage payments. Nonetheless, despite this order to get back to work, the company hasn’t allowed us to go into work. They [told us] to get our wages, but not to come to the factory”.

At Azim Khodro, a car manufacturer in Borujerd City, 180 workers have been laid off due to factory closure. Due to legal issues, courts have prohibited the owner from running the factory. As a result, workers have not been paid for seven months.