The official minimum wage for the year 1392 in Iran, as determined by supreme council of labour is 487 thousand Tomans a month, with the current market value of Rial this would be approximately US$140.00 per month.
Minimum wage based on government statistic, covers 11.5 millions of workers, at least 45% of the workers in Iran and plays a significant role in the lives of those covered by Labour law.
The inflation rate by official report is around 32%, but in unofficial reports it go up to some 50%. Basic food prices have increased on a daily basis; the rising costs are ever increasing concerns for millions of working class families in Iran.
The prices of some items have become even more expensive than food price in UK. One consequence of such well below poverty line wages are three million child labourers who have to leave school and work in child slavery conditions to financially support their family.
Most workers have to work over 70 hours a week, or to hold several small jobs such as selling cigarettes, work as minicab drivers, or other casual positions. Some direct results of this naked poverty are: increased stress in life, separation of families, increase in crimes, premature aging and many other health issues.
Work conditions are getting worse on a daily basis. An absence of independent workers’ organisations to provide resources for workers to support themselves provides employers ample opportunities to keep the wages at the lowest possible level, and make workers redundant as and when they wish.