Page 23 - IRANRptOct22

4.3 Labour and income
4.3.1 Labour market, unemployment dynamics
Unemployment rate at 8.9% in 4Q 2021
Iranian oil workers threaten to strike if crackdown on protests is not ended
According to the Central Bank of Iran, the country’s unemployment rate declined to 8.9% y/y in the fourth quarter of 2021 from 9.6% y/y in the previous quarter. Iran's unemployment rate was estimated to reach 9.8% of the total labor force in 2020. The unemployment rate has been above 10% for the last 10 years, and this rate is estimated to have peaked in 2014 when it reached 14%.
Youth unemployment (covering the 15-29 age range), stands at least twice the general joblessness rate, according to latest available data, while university graduate unemployment is thought to be around 40%. Despite the many times the government has stressed the need to boost employment, overall youth unemployment has risen more than 5% in the past three years.
Iranian oil industry contract workers have warned the government that they will strike if it does not end its crackdown on protesters, who have been demonstrating against Iran’s ruling regime for nearly two weeks in scores of towns and cities, Radio Farda has reported.
Such a strike could cripple an essential sector of the Iranian economy. The Iran Human Rights Organisation said on September 27 that at least 76 people had been killed in the ongoing protests.
"We support the people's struggles against organised and everyday violence
23 IRAN Country Report October 2022 www.intellinews.com