Workers and drivers of the Tehran Unified Bus Company slammed the brakes on Monday, going on strike and holding rallies in the Iranian capital over a delayed pay rise.
Videos posted online by the union showed one protest next to the company headquarters, and another at the Azadi Terminal. In the latter, the drivers chanted “Now, now, we want our salaries now”. In still another, bus company employees shouted “Resign, resign, you incompetent mayor” and “Resign, resign, incompetent minister”.
In addition to the drivers, many workers in the company’s repair shops have also joined the strike. In some cases drivers had abandoned their vehicles altogether; others opted to keep circling the city but refused to board passengers, drawing more public attention to their cause.
The Supreme Labor Commission previously approved a 10 percent increase to bus company employees' salaries. So far, however, Tehran Unified has refused to implement it. The sudden, drastic hike in the prices of bread and other basic food items has now pushed some lower-income workers to the limit.
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