Title: MP Stresses Urgent Need to Address Pensioners’ Livelihoods, Calls for Tripartite Cooperation
In a meeting with labor representatives and union officials from Mazandaran province, Member of Parliament Reza Hajipour underscored the critical importance of addressing the economic challenges faced by workers and pensioners, framing it as a matter of national duty.
A National Priority
During the meeting, which included officials from the Mazandaran Workers’ House, the Amol Retirees Association, and local labor and social security departments, MP Hajipour stated that the concerns of workers and pensioners are directly reflected in the parliament’s agenda. He emphasized that any official who neglects these legitimate demands or seeks to silence this segment of society, rather than solving their problems, would be “betraying the country.”
Bridging the Income Gap
The core of the discussion centered on the significant disparity between the current incomes of retirees and a living wage. Nasrollah Daryabeigi, the Executive Secretary of the Mazandaran Workers’ House, presented data indicating that the minimum income for workers and pensioners should be approximately 24 million tomans to meet basic needs. He highlighted that many retirees are currently trying to survive on monthly pensions of around 10 million tomans, a large portion of which is consumed by housing rent, leaving them in a precarious position regarding essential expenses like food and medicine. Daryabeigi described this situation as “incompatible with the dignity of the system” and a “line of gradual death, not a poverty line.”
A Collaborative Path Forward
MP Hajipour outlined a collaborative approach to tackle these multifaceted issues. He proposed that a “tripartite interaction” between the government, the parliament, and labor organizations is essential to reduce inflation, improve livelihoods, strengthen production infrastructure, and enhance job security for workers.
Furthermore, he pointed to the specific challenges within the healthcare sector for laborers and suggested leveraging the capacity of health benefactors alongside government efforts to improve medical services.
The labor representatives formally called upon the government and parliament to enact an equitable salary increase, provide essential commodity baskets, ensure free healthcare, and comprehensively address the unsettled living conditions of workers and pensioners.