A worker from the Arak Machinery Manufacturing Factory was recently dismissed for creating an Instagram page dedicated to advocating for labor rights.
According to Kolbarnews, this worker, who had five years of experience at the factory, aimed to establish a space for dialogue and address workers’ rights through his Instagram page. However, his employer responded harshly, resulting in his dismissal.
The employer accused him of “spreading false information,” “forming a group to disrupt industry operations,” and “hindering business through disturbance,” to justify the dismissal. However, the court reviewed the case and dismissed these charges, declaring that the worker’s actions were simply about raising awareness of labor issues and sharing information.
Despite the court’s decision, the employer refused to reinstate him and disabled his access card, effectively keeping him unemployed. Due to this illegal dismissal, he is ineligible for unemployment insurance and has now taken up temporary labor work to support his family.
The factory’s security department has also pressured him to disclose others involved in similar social media activities, creating an atmosphere of intimidation to discourage labor activism on social media.
