Final Resolution of the Week of Action in Support of Iran’s Labour Movement

Called by joint campaign of Iranian labour activists abroad

Regarding the murder of Khatounabad Workers in 2004

18-26^th January 2008

The history of workers struggles, every where and at all times, is full of plots, intimidation and systematic repression, expulsion, prison, torture, execution and terror, depending on how much  power the capitalist system has had at any particular time.

Khatounabad and shooting down workers is an example of the barbarism of the capitalist regime in power in Iran and shows its response to the workers demand for jobs and bread.

The brutal aggression of the regime against Khatounabad workers lead to the deaths of 4 protesting workers:  Riahi, Mahdavi, Moemeni, Javidi and a school student Pour Amini as well as injuring dozens of protesters , expulsion of hundreds of workers, imprisonment for many workers .. .yet such policies could not manage to stop the wave of protests and strikes by the workers’ movement in Iran.

Experience shows that when workers have class consciousness, when they work in solidarity with each other and are united, they can win and force capitalists and their lackeys to retreat. The long history of working class struggles is full of such upheavals. In opposition to these struggles,  regimes who support exploitation and capitalism , with no exception, have used all in their power to deprive the working class of its weapon, that is to say independent workers’ organisations.

The arrest and incarceration of leftist, socialists and freedom-loving activists of the student movement in all Iranian universities are part of this strategy. However repression and terror by the reactionaries in power in Iran has failed to create any hesitation in the steady march of the defenders of social-political movements in Iran. On the contrary it has made them more determined to radicalise such movements.

On the 4^th of Bahman (24^th January), the anniversary of the murder of Khatounabad workers, united with the workers movement and their families inside Iran, we will commemorate the lives of these workers, determined in pursuing a united struggle against the bankrupt capitalist order. We will try and expose the criminal nature of this regime amongst international organisations and world public opinion.

Fighting workers!

The continuation of our class struggle to confront the power of the capitalist system depends on our ability to organise ourselves in independent mass organisations.

Given the current situation of Iranian workers we express some of our demands as listed below:

1- We demand the trial of those responsible for Khatounabad murders in a just court

2- We demand compensation for the family of the victims

3- We demand the abolition of all temporary contracts and provision of job security for workers

4- We demand immediate freedom of all imprisoned workers, including Mahmoud Salehi, Mansour Osanloo, as well as the identification and prosecution of those who attempted to assassinate Majid Hamidi.

5-  The right to organize independent workers’ organizations, to organise meetings and strikes, the right to decent work, the right to housing, the right to education, the right to free health service as fundamental , basic rights of Iranian workers. 

6- While defending students’ movement and those arrested in recent weeks, we call for the release of all political prisoners in Iran and especially students arrested in December 2007 in Iranian universities, who were demonstrating on the anniversary of Iran student day (a day commemorated since the Shah’s regime).

7-We strongly condemn the expulsion of Afghan and other migrant workers

8-While defending the just demands of the women’s movement, we demand equal pay for men and women and abolition of any form of gender discrimination.

9- We demand the immediate prohibition of child labour in all areas.

10- We oppose intervention of military, security and intelligent forces in labour affairs.

11- We demand an end to all forms of state repression of social – political organisations.

Long live the unity and solidarity of the international workers movement!

Long live the memory of activists of the workers movement who have lost their lives in struggle

Political prisoners must be released

Down with the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic

January 2008 – Bahman 1386

- Committee of Solidarity with the Iranian Workers – Australia- [email protected]
- Committee in Support of Workers in Iran – Toronto, Canada
- Association of Solidarity with the Iranian Workers – Norway
- A Group of Progressive Workers in Exile – Switzerland- [email protected]

- Committee of Socialist Solidarity with Iranian Workers – France-
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Koln, Germany- [email protected]
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Frankfurt and
Suburb, Germany- [email protected]
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hanover, Germany -
- Committee of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hamburg, Germany- [email protected]
- Solidarity Group with the Labour Movement-Berlin-Germany- [email protected]
- Iranian and Swedish Workers' Solidarity Committee - [email protected]
- International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) [email protected]

- The solidarity center with Iranian workers, Guttenberg, Sweden- [email protected]

- Jamal Cheragh-Weisi Labour Association - [email protected]
*Translated with the help of HOPI – UK

A Week of Action in Support of Iran's Labour Movement

Call by the joint campaign of Iranian labour activists abroad

Regarding the murder of Khatounabad Workers in 2004

Let us express our class solidarity with Iranian workers by commemorating the anniversary of the execution of Khatounabad copper mine workers by the agents of the capitalist Islamic Republic regime in Iran. We will use this anniversary to draw attention

to the struggles of the Iranian working class seeking social justice while exposing the rule of capital in Iran. 

In the month of Dey 1382 (late January 2004) over 200 workers facing expulsion from Khatounabad copper mine (in the City of Babak, Province of Kerman) went on strike and protested with their families outside the mine. A week into their protest, the reactionary repressive forces of the Islamic regime opened fire on these workers and their families and this lead to the death of one worker injuring many others.

The workers’ protest expanded to the city and in Shahr Babak, Kerman, security and intelligence forces opened fire indiscriminately on the workers. Workers were hit by gunfire , shot from the air and on the ground and four workers , Riyahi, Javidi, Mahdavi, Momeni and a school student Pour Amin were killed, while dozens were injured.

The Iranian working class has a long history of bloody struggles in defence of their just demands against reactionary rulers. The achievements of workers movement in Iran in their class struggle against exploiters have been achieved through fire and blood. 

Iranian capitalists have used every opportunity to stop workers gaining their rights and

that is why successive pro capital governments in Iran have brutally suppressed labour protests. The absence of any independent working class organisation has constantly hindered the workers’ movement. That is why the Iranian working class is determined to develop unity and solidarity and to set up independent workers organisations. In opposition to these efforts the Islamic Republic regime is doing all it can to terrorise and suppress the workers movement. However , neither the murder of workers in Khatounabad, nor gunfire in Deylam port, the suppression of the women’s movement and the incarceration of women activists, serial political murder of writers and political activists , neither  the execution of Tehran university students  nor the arrest and imprisonment of Vahed bus workers, Saghez worker activists, Haft Tapeh sugar cane workers , textile workers in Shahoo factory in Sanandaj, Alborz carpet factory in Alborz, Nazanin factory in Ghazvin …. nor the terror of Majid Hamidi can deter or hinder the determination of worker activists and activists of other social movements in Iran.

Iranian workers are protesting and shouting:

-Pay us the unpaid wages; we have to be paid for our work

-Stop sacking workers, we must have a right of housing

-we must have the right to free education and health

-we must have the right to set up our own independent organisations, the right to strike and the right to organise gatherings.

-Arrested workers, students, women and intellectuals must be released.

In response to these demands capitalists and the anti working class regime of the Islamic Republic expel workers, refuse to pay their unpaid wages, threaten, arrest and torture or even execute them by gunfire. The adoption of these tactics of terror and repression by the regime represent its fear of the economic crisis and its incapability to deal with the demands of the protest movement. They represent an attempt by the regime to stop these movements and of course to halt the workers movement.  

The roots of this crisis, inflation and rising prices should be found in the capitalist nature of the Islamic regime as an integral part of the global capitalist order pursuing neo liberal capitalist policies such as privatisation.

We condemn sanctions and the warmongering expansionist policies of US imperialism and its capitalist allies, claiming to support ‘democracy’ in order to increase its capital and profits in the region while strengthening its hegemonic position in the region.  

We also condemn and expose the war mongering rhetoric of the Islamic regime, a government that has consistently seeked dialogue and compromise with imperialists. We will follow and expose every aspect of the reactionary policies of both sides and we are confident that fundamental social change can only be achieved by the working class and

the labour and popular movement in Iran.

Under such circumstances and in confrontation with such a reactionary regime, at a time when we receive constant demands for support and solidarity from workers inside Iran, none of us can remain silent.

Let us unite in commemorating the 4t Bahman( 24^th Jan ) in memory of Khatounabad workers killed in a horrific manner by the Islamic regime and make sure that our unity and weighs heavily on the shoulders of  the defenders of  this pro capitalist regime.

Let us unite in defending the workers movement and supporting other social movements.

Let us becoming their voice on the international arena.

Let us use our week of action, 18^th January 2008 -26^th January 2008, to expose the capitalist nature of the Islamic regime. 

Join our protest

Long Live International solidarity

Down with the capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic

6^th January 2008

- Committee of Solidarity with the Iranian Workers - Australia
- Committee in Support of Workers in Iran – Toronto, Canada
- Association of Solidarity with the Iranian Workers – Norway
- A Group of Progressive Workers in Exile – Switzerland
- Committee of Socialist Solidarity with Iranian Workers – France
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Köln, Germany
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Frankfurt and
Suburb, Germany
- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hanover, Germany
- Committee of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hamburg, Germany
- Solidarity Group with the Labour Movement-Berlin-Germany
- Iranian and Swedish Workers' Solidarity Committee
- International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)

- The solidarity center with Iranian workers, Guttenberg, Sweden
· Translated with the help of HOPI – UK