Mr. Seyed Mahdi Hosseini Matin,
Ambassador
Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
16 Princes Gate
LONDON
SW7 1PT
Email: iranemb.lon@mfa.gov.ir

16 January 2024

Your Excellency,

Job Classification Act

I am writing to you as General Secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), the UK and Europe’s largest education trade union, to request that the Islamic Republic of Iran ensures the full implementation of the Job Classification Act for workers, including teachers and other education staff.

I understand that the JCA is part of the broader Civil Service Management Act (CSM) which applies to teachers who are public employees, and which has been ratified but never implemented.

Although the Job Classification Act for teachers was ratified in the Iranian parliament, it has not been implemented in full. There are still unpaid wages and benefits, insufficient  budget is allocated to implement the JCA across the nation, and sometimes the denial of coverage of this Act has been used as a means to punish and penalise some teachers.

The NEU is concerned that without job classifications, employees can find themselves in precarious temporary positions while being paid at varied rates, even while doing the same work.

Iranian teachers tell us that salaries for the vast majority of teachers fall well below the recognised poverty threshold in the country, resulting in low pay and poor living conditions. We understand that teachers working conditions are children’s learning conditions and that poor conditions for teachers ultimately undermines the quality of education that children receive.

The NEU will continue to stand in solidarity with teachers, unionists, and others in the education community in Iran who are working to ensure develop a safe and inclusive learning environment for all.

I would be grateful if you could communicate the concerns of the NEU and I urge the government of Iran meets its obligations under the JCA and ensure decent working conditions and fundamental rights and freedoms for teachers and education staff as both workers and citizens.

Yours sincerely,

Daniel Kebede

General Secretary