Truckers display new face of popular protest in Iran
The recent trucker strike in Iran was characterized by its geographical spread and focus on economic demands.
On the first day of what quickly became Iran’s largest trucker strike in recent years, a driver told his audience on film, “Today, May 22, on the ring road of Kavar, we are making sure that none of the vehicles driving between Shiraz and Bandar Abbas can pass. We are stopping everybody.”
Six days later, and with thousands more joining throughout the country, hundreds of truckers in the otherwise small and dormant town in central Iran drove up to Shiraz single file, honking loudly.
Despite not having a union, truck drivers in Iran have staged a nationwide strike for almost two weeks now. Unprecedented in terms of geographical spread, the protest showcases not only the growing solidarity of unorganized groups, but also the changing face of social unrest in Iran.
On May 22, truckers in several towns turned off their engines to call for higher freight rates. While the government had ruled months ago that freight rates would increase by up to 20%, workers were angered that this promise had remained largely unimplemented. Truckers also called for higher pensions, better health insurance and cheaper truck repair facilities.
