Twenty workers at the Toos Asphalt Company have been arrested, according to the Ardkan governor, in the wake of protests on Tuesday against the firing of their union representative.

ILNA reports that Ardkan Governor Ahmad Kamali criticized the workers’ protests of recent days, saying management has filed a complaint against a number of workers for inciting unrest.

Kamali claimed the salaries of some of these workers are higher than those of many public servants.

The Ardkan Governor announced that Bahram Hassaninejad, the head of the Toos asphalt workers union, has already filed a review of his dismissal from the company at the Ardkan Labour Ministry office and the dismissal was approved.

Kamali stressed that the complaint can be taken further up in the Ministry of Labour; however, stopping production at a large company with 3,000 workers is not acceptable.

ILNA reports that 2,000 workers have refused to work in order to protest the dismissal of their union representative and are now in their third day of demonstrations.

They claim Hassaninejad’s dismissal is against labour laws and they insist he must be reinstated.

Radio Zamaneh