Investigative Report on the Violation of Fundamental Workers' Rights, especially Women, in the Production lines in Baneh

Hengaw; Friday, July 7th, 2023
 

The increasing employment of workers, particularly women, in the production lines in Baneh city has exposed a blatant violation of their fundamental rights pertaining to working conditions by employers.
 

This report is based on information gathered by Hengaw and field investigations conducted by civil and social activists in Baneh. It has been observed that employed workers in the production workshops refrain from pursuing legal action to assert their rights, driven by the fear of losing their income and employment prospects.
 

Numerous violations of workers' rights have been identified, including but not limited to low wages, excessive overtime hours, inadequate working conditions, and the prevalence of verbal agreements specifically targeting female workers. These violations have resulted in the exploitation of labor at significantly low compensation levels. The contractual arrangements for these workers predominantly assume a temporary or verbal nature, depriving them of even the most basic human rights due to the lack of legal procedures and the failure of the Social Security Organizations to identify these production factories.
 

Civil activists in Baneh have reported that factory owners and shareholders compel workers to work on official holidays without, recording their employment records, providing insurance coverage, or  compensation for daily overtime work.
 

Moreover, in addition to the issue of low wages, their paychecks are sporadically delayed for months, often justified by claims of "lack of liquidity." Consequently, workers abstain from pursuing legal avenues, as they lack sufficient legal support and fear the potential consequences of dismissal.
 

Another concerning aspect is that wages are paid in cash by employers, making it challenging for workers to substantiate their employment relationships and assert their rights during legal proceedings. This circumstance itself constitutes a violation of universally recognized workers' rights, both in terms of domestic legislation and fundamental labor rights established by international labor laws.