August 20, 2024
The strike that started on August 3 and in the midst of the formation of the government of Pezeshkian by the nurses of Shiraz and Fasa, with its rapid expansion to dozens of cities and hospitals in different parts of the country, including the cities of Yazd, Mashhad, Arak, Karaj, Bushehr, Yasuj, and Hamedan turned into a nationwide, unprecedented and important strike. More and more people are joining it every day. This strike could have had a happy ending in the first days, if Masoud Pezeshkian had adhered to his promises and accepted the demands of the nurses. But the silence of Pezeshkian and the attack of the security forces on the peaceful gatherings of nurses in Arak and Mashhad showed that there is no change in the repressive approach of the previous governments towards the demands and rights of the laborers.
However, some managers and government officials, who until now pretended to be indifferent to the strike and the demands of the nurses, by observing the spread of the strike and the determination of the nurses to continue the strike, were forced to break their silence and have started to promise to handle their demands in the unknown future. They make similar promises when they are under pressure, but they forget everything after suppressing the protests. But this time, they are dealing with half a million nurses who have experienced and learned from the ineffectiveness of the officials' promises many times in the past. For example, despite the fact that 10 years have passed since the approval of the health system Tariff Law in the parliament, despite the repeated requests and protests of the nurses, the authorities have avoided implementing it ever.
There have been sporadic and scattered protests by nurses for years. The demands of nurses today are more or less the same as they were in the past. The strong point of this strike is its nationwide nature and the effort that has been made to overcome the weaknesses of these strikes through the experiences of past strikes. Now, the regime’s officials have abandoned their promise to deal with the demands, threatened the nurses with dismissal and other punishments, and sent their repressive forces in Arak and Mashhad against the nurses, trying to suppress their strike and leave their demands unanswered. Nevertheless, the extent of the nurses' strike and resistance, as well as the support of civil, union, student and other public institutions, has made the repression of nurses more difficult and costly than in the past.
An increase in wages and benefits and their regular payment, termination of mandatory overtime, increase in wages for voluntary overtime hours, full implementation of the Tariff Law, recognizing nursing work as one of the hard and harmful jobs, are the main demands of nurses, which are supported by nearly half a million nurses and medical staff.
Failure to address these demands has caused a continuous drop in living conditions, deterioration of working conditions, immigration, resignation and even suicide of a number of nurses due to physical and mental pressure and a reason for the shortage of nurses. However, in spite of these consequences, the regime’s officials, desperate to find a way out for the costly problems, continued their disastrous behavior towards the rights, health and welfare of the hardworking guardians of the society's health and are not willing to change their destructive policies.
The Left Party of Iran, while emphasizing solidarity with the nationwide strike of nurses, firmly supports their demands and condemns the regime's repressive actions against nurses. Maintaining unity, solidarity, continuing the struggle and expanding the nurses' strikes is the guarantee of their victory. We also appreciate the valuable support and solidarity of the independent labor organizations, teachers and other civil and public institutions for this strike and invite all believers in freedom and social justice to support the nurses and prevent the suppression of their strike by the regime and the violation of the rights of the guards and caregivers who are the pioneers of society's health. We call everyone to stand in solidarity with the brave strike of nurses and support their demands.
Political-Executive Board of the Left Party of Iran
August 20, 2024
Add new comment