NCRI – According to news sources, 100 workers of Alborz Steel Factory in Takestan (Northwestern Iran) have been fired with their unemployment benefits undecided. One of the workers said in this regard that due to non-payment of insurance premium by the employer in the past16 months, the workers are not eligible to receive unemployment insurance benefits according to the insurance policy.
According to ILNA state news agency, about 150 workers have been working in this production unit, 100 of which have been fired so far in two occasions. The employer at this steel and rebar production unit has hired new work forces following their dismissal.
The laid-off worker have 15 years of work experience on average and their working contracts were renewed on a monthly basis.
Alborz Steel Factory workers state that all the workers are worried they’ll lose their job each month at the end of their contract. They added that 55 of their colleagues were also fired in March at the end of their work contracts.
The laid-off workers say that although they are attempting to receive their unemployment insurance benefits, but due to non-payment of the insurance premium by the employer for at least the past 16 months, the workers are not eligible to receive their unemployment benefits according to the insurance policy.
“A significant number of workers have held gatherings in their former workplace to protest against not receiving their insurance benefits”, the laid-off workers say.
According to the workers, Alborz Steel Company has about half a million dollar in debt to the Social Security Organization. While the debt is still unpaid by the employer, these are the adjusted workers who are hardest hit.
On the status of their laid-off colleagues, the workers said: “8 of our coworkers who were retired in March this year, have not yet received their annual demands from the employer and their pensions have not yet been established either.