Nurses protest in several Iranian cities

Groups of nurses and healthcare workers continue to protest against poor working conditions and unmet demands.

These protests took place on Sunday, August 18, in several cities including Mashhad, Yasuj, Jahrom and Qazvin.

The protest by nurses at Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad continued for a second day. Nurses from other medical centers in the city, including Hasheminejad Hospital, Akbar Children’s Hospital, Taleghani Hospital and Velayat Hospital, also joined the protests on Sunday.

In Yasuj too, the nurses’ protest continued for a second day.

Images of nurses’ protests in the towns of Jahrom and one of the hospitals in Qazvin are also circulating on social media.

The main demands of the protesting nurses include tariff reform, implementation of the Heavy and Dangerous Work Act and the abolition of compulsory overtime.

Nurses’ protests have been going on for months, but the latest round began on August 3 in hospitals in Shiraz and has since spread to other cities.

During previous protests, there have been reports of threats and pressure against protesters. Last month, Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, secretary-general of the House of Nurses, said that around 60 nurses in Kerman had been called up to take part in the protests.

Following the widespread nurses’ strike across the country, the teachers’ and students’ unions also expressed their support for the nurses’ strike.

Security forces at Sadoughi Hospital in Yazd have threatened striking nurses with dismissal if protests continue.

An experienced nursing expert from Isfahan told Iran Focus:

“Our biggest problem is the lack of implementation of the tariff law, merit increases and mandatory overtime. We receive 20,000 tomans (about $0.33) for every hour of overtime. Doctors’ overtime pay can be up to ten times or more. My net salary is 13.8 million tomans (about $230). Even service jobs receive 40,000 tomans (about $0.66) per hour for overtime.

The tariff law is not enforced and there is a mafia behind this corruption. Work experience has no significant effect on our salary.

Overtime is mandatory. We don’t want to work overtime for 20,000 tomans per hour, but due to staff shortages we are forced to do so. My total salary is no more than 15 million tomans (about $250).

The patients’ attendants do not treat us well. No one bothers the doctors; they confront us directly.

The number of shifts is very high. This month I have worked more than 29 shifts. Nurses do not get hospital food, which is of very poor quality. We only get one meal during the night shift.

Low wages are not just for nurses. Even faculty members with a master’s degree earn about $250, and a nurse with a Ph.D. earns about 25 million tomans (about $417). As a nurse, I plan to emigrate.”

Qasem Abotalebi, member of the Supreme Council of the Nursing System, announced in March 2024 that the country faces a shortage of at least 100,000 nurses.

Nurses are frustrated with their working conditions and are going on strike in an attempt to secure their rights.

The strikers are demanding an immediate wage increase, the abolition of mandatory overtime, a correct and rapid implementation of nurses’ rates, payment of outstanding wages, improvement of harsh working conditions and an end to safety checks on protesting nurses.

The strike has become so widespread that the regime’s security apparatus is trying to intensify repression through threats, summonses, legal action and the deployment of replacement troops to break the strike.

The statement stressed that everyone must collectively support the strike despite the “regime’s attacks, threats and assaults on the nurses.”

Parvaneh Mandani, a nurse at Imam Hossein Hospital in Sepidan, died on August 2 after assisting three patients in their transfer from this hospital to another in Shiraz due to overwork, a condition known in medicine as “Karoshi syndrome.”

After the death of this 32-year-old nurse, large-scale strikes broke out in several cities.

Ahmad Nejatiyan, the head of the Nursing Organization, said in a television interview: “At the moment, our nurses are working at half the standard nursing staff, which leads to mandatory overtime. We cannot stop serving patients, and that is why nurses are forced to work up to 100 hours of mandatory overtime per month.”

It is reported that nurses receive approximately 200,000 rials (about 33 cents) for each hour of mandatory overtime.

Mohammadreza Sharifi Moghadam, secretary-general of the House of Nurses, mentioned in an interview with the regime’s daily Shargh that according to statistics, more than 30% of nurses have experienced physical violence in the workplace. He stated: “A nurse in Yasuj lost an eye due to an attack by a patient’s companion. We have received reports of stab wounds in the neck, chest and fractures as a result of attacks by patients’ companions.”

On August 11, the Ham-Mihan newspaper reported that nurses from nine hospitals in Shiraz and one hospital in Karaj have stopped working since last week in protest against the denial of their demands.

Ham-Mihan’s report also pointed out the security measures taken against the protesting nurses.

The newspaper quoted a nurse as saying that security forces had contacted him, accused him of being the leader of the strikes and then threatened him with dismissal.

Sharifi Moghadam stated in an interview with Sharg that a formally employed nurse with 15 years of experience earns a salary of 14.9 million tomans (approximately 2.49 million rials or $250), of which 10%, or 1.49 million rials (approximately $25), is withheld for insurance.

The secretary general of the House of Nurses noted that nurses in the United States earn between $4,000 and $6,000, and in Europe between €3,000 and €4,000. He said: “Our nurses would rather stay home than work so hard for a monthly salary of 15 million tomans (about 2.5 million rials or $250).”

The problems in Iran’s nursing system and health care are not limited to the recent strikes. Nurses also protested in July this year.

Fereydoun Moradi, member of the Superior Council of the Nursing System, announced in June that 150 to 200 nurses will move every month.