Industrial power cuts turn Friday working into a labour market issue, with a 40 percent wage premium required

Continuing power cuts at Iranian manufacturing plants have turned the question of shifting the weekly day off, and of Friday working, into one of the country's labour market challenges. The issue was examined on Monday 27 July 2026.

According to the report, Iran's labour law requires that any change to the weekly day off be made with the worker's consent or with the permission of the labour office, and that work performed on a Friday carries a 40 percent wage premium.

The secretary of the House of Industry, Mining and Trade had earlier said the government is implementing a package to ease power restrictions on industry, including substituting Friday working for blackout days, expanding green power, managing consumption at large industrial users and acting against unlicensed crypto miners. Moving the weekly day off raises wage costs for plants that are idled on blackout days.