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International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) |
Newsletter Workers' Struggles in Iran |
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June 24, 2011 Volume 1, Number 4 |
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In This Issue
· A report on June 9th day of action in Geneva · A grievance against IRI by the "Coordinating Committee" · Iran Khodro workers' open letter to ILO · Condemn back-to-work legislation against CUPW · IASWI statement on June 9th day of action
Link to workers’ news in Iran:
IASWI Farsi Website
Link to interviews on Iranian labour issues
About IASWI:
The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) is a progressive, non-partisan campaign in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran. The IASWI was formed in 1999 and formally launched in January 2000 with the following objectives:
· Support workers’ movement demands and struggles in Iran, including the right to organize free and independent labour organizations and the right to strike. · Strive for an absolute end to the systematic repression, persecution, imprisonment, torture, assassination and execution of labour activists and political opponents in Iran. · Promote the implementation and enforcement of internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and freedoms for all people in Iran.
The IASWI has been working in collaboration with many labour and progressive activists and organizations in Iran and around the world to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity in defence of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran and against the repressive Islamic Republic of Iran and its capitalist and neo-liberal policies and practices. As an international solidarity campaign in support of workers in Iran, the IASWI has colleagues and branches in North America, Europe and other parts of the world that work collaboratively towards the realization of the above objectives.
Contact IASWI:
In This Issue
· A report on June 9th day of action in Geneva · A grievance against IRI by the "Coordinating Committee" · Iran Khodro workers' open letter to ILO · Condemn back-to-work legislation against CUPW · IASWI statement on June 9th day of action
Link to workers’ news in Iran:
IASWI Farsi Website
Link to interviews on Iranian labour issues
About IASWI:
The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) is a progressive, non-partisan campaign in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran. The IASWI was formed in 1999 and formally launched in January 2000 with the following objectives:
· Support workers’ movement demands and struggles in Iran, including the right to organize free and independent labour organizations and the right to strike. · Strive for an absolute end to the systematic repression, persecution, imprisonment, torture, assassination and execution of labour activists and political opponents in Iran. · Promote the implementation and enforcement of internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and freedoms for all people in Iran.
The IASWI has been working in collaboration with many labour and progressive activists and organizations in Iran and around the world to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity in defence of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran and against the repressive Islamic Republic of Iran and its capitalist and neo-liberal policies and practices. As an international solidarity campaign in support of workers in Iran, the IASWI has colleagues and branches in North America, Europe and other parts of the world that work collaboratively towards the realization of the above objectives.
Contact IASWI:
In This Issue
· A report on June 9th day of action in Geneva · A grievance against IRI by the "Coordinating Committee" · Iran Khodro workers' open letter to ILO · Condemn back-to-work legislation against CUPW · IASWI statement on June 9th day of action
Link to workers’ news in Iran:
IASWI Farsi Website
Link to interviews on Iranian labour issues
About IASWI:
The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) is a progressive, non-partisan campaign in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran. The IASWI was formed in 1999 and formally launched in January 2000 with the following objectives:
· Support workers’ movement demands and struggles in Iran, including the right to organize free and independent labour organizations and the right to strike. · Strive for an absolute end to the systematic repression, persecution, imprisonment, torture, assassination and execution of labour activists and political opponents in Iran. · Promote the implementation and enforcement of internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and freedoms for all people in Iran.
The IASWI has been working in collaboration with many labour and progressive activists and organizations in Iran and around the world to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity in defence of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran and against the repressive Islamic Republic of Iran and its capitalist and neo-liberal policies and practices. As an international solidarity campaign in support of workers in Iran, the IASWI has colleagues and branches in North America, Europe and other parts of the world that work collaboratively towards the realization of the above objectives.
Contact IASWI:
In This Issue
· A report on June 9th day of action in Geneva · A grievance against IRI by the "Coordinating Committee" · Iran Khodro workers' open letter to ILO · Condemn back-to-work legislation against CUPW · IASWI statement on June 9th day of action
Link to workers’ news in Iran:
IASWI Farsi Website
Link to interviews on Iranian labour issues
About IASWI:
The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) is a progressive, non-partisan campaign in support of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran. The IASWI was formed in 1999 and formally launched in January 2000 with the following objectives:
· Support workers’ movement demands and struggles in Iran, including the right to organize free and independent labour organizations and the right to strike. · Strive for an absolute end to the systematic repression, persecution, imprisonment, torture, assassination and execution of labour activists and political opponents in Iran. · Promote the implementation and enforcement of internationally recognized human and workers’ rights and freedoms for all people in Iran.
The IASWI has been working in collaboration with many labour and progressive activists and organizations in Iran and around the world to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity in defence of workers’ rights and struggles in Iran and against the repressive Islamic Republic of Iran and its capitalist and neo-liberal policies and practices. As an international solidarity campaign in support of workers in Iran, the IASWI has colleagues and branches in North America, Europe and other parts of the world that work collaboratively towards the realization of the above objectives.
Contact IASWI:
IASWI Newsletter Vol 1, No 4 June 24, 2011 |
A report on June 9th day of action in support of workers in Iran
Four French Trade Union federations, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA, organized a protest on June 9, 2011 in front of the UN office in Geneva in support of workers in Iran. In addition, this call out was supported by two Swiss trade unions, UNIA and CGAS, and Belgium's FGTB, all of which were present in supporting this action. The 100th ILO annual conference was chosen for this protest, because it was hosting the sham delegation from the regime of Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). The protest called for unconditional freedom of workers in creating their own independent labour organizations, release of all incarcerated labour activists in Iran, and the condemnations of the IRI's violation of ILO's conventions.
Trade unions from Switzerland had called on their members to help hand out leaflets on June 9th from 8:00 am to 10:30 am in support of this protest action, in front of the UN office, and inform the attending delegates of the action in progress. The activists from IASWI responded to this call and together with activists from UNIA and CGAS distributed about three thousand leaflets among delegates. In addition about a thousand copies of IASWI's special bulletin were also distributed.
The protest started at 11:00 a.m. The trade union representatives from a number of countries including Thailand, Suriname, Egypt, Italy, Senegal, South Korea, Germany, France, and Switzerland took part in the rally.
The first speaker, Mr. Jean-Michel Joubier, Head of CGT-France International Department, exposed the brutal, suppressive acts of Islamic Republic of Iran, and once again reaffirmed French workers' solidarity with Iranian workers. He went on to read portions of greetings from Mahmoud Salehi and the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers' Organizations for this occasion.
Mr. Jamshid Pouranpir, UNIA, vice-president CGAS, speaking on behalf of Swiss trade unions, spoke about how IRI consistently violates all conventions of ILO and expressed hope for a continuation of solidarity actions for Iranian workers. He spoke about suppression of women and religious minorities, and condemned IRI's repressive policies.
Alain Baron from Solidaires Syndicate spoke of solidarity with Iranian workers, and his hope that the current movements for freedom and justice across North Africa and Middle East would spread throughout the entire region. He emphasized on the importance of international labour solidarity with workers in the Middle East.
The next speaker, Pierre Coutaz, International, CGT, who himself is an attending trade union representative to ILO from France, began his speech with the memory of a teacher, Farzad Kamangar, and how IRI last year just before ILO's convention executed Farzad Kamangar and four other activists. He cited how the executions were raised in the ILO Commission on Norms, and by submitting reports on the executions and IRI's violation of ILO conventions they were able to considerably expose IRI's crimes. But he expressed regrets that other than some 'reminders' IRI did not face serious penalties, in addition to the fact that the IRI has been elected to be part of the ILO's Governing Body. He emphasized that they will exert maximum pressure on ILO to reconsider their decision to let IRI be part of the Governing Body despite its appalling record on workers’ rights violations.
Ms. Corinne Vialle, from FSU France, was the next speaker. She spoke on the recent uprisings in Middle East and North Africa, the necessity of international solidarity amongst workers, and her syndicate's readiness and commitment to be supportive of these struggles. She also expressed discontent about teachers' incarceration by IRI and strongly denounced it.
Vasco Pedrina from UNIA, which is the largest trade union in Switzerland, spoke in support of Iranian workers and strongly condemned the suppression of workers' rights by IRI.
Mr. Bayla Sow of Syndicat Unique des Transports Aériens du Sénégal (SUTAS) was the next speaker. He is also an Executive Board member of the International Transport Workers' Federation. He spoke in support of workers' rights and jailed labour activists in Iran. He also reported on his union's activities in support of workers in Iran.
Leopoldo Tartaglia, International Department, Italian General Confederation of Labour (CGIL), and a delegate to the International Labour Conference, spoke of workers’ lack of freedom in creating their own formations in Iran, and expressed CGIL's support for workers in Iran.
Speaking on behalf of IASWI, Mr. Ali Mobareki first thanked all workers' organizations in France for their solidarity with Iranian workers, and creating this opportunity to expose crimes of IRI. He also thanked unions from Switzerland, and all other labour organizations and political parties as well as individuals who supported and joined the protest. Mr. Mobareki noted that workers in Iran will feel very delighted with such an outpouring of international solidarity, and added that such actions would boost workers' resolve to continue struggles for the achievement of their rights until IRI is ultimately brought down. He expressed hope about the positive effects of international labour solidarity.
There was a further message of solidarity from the Action of the CGT-Unemployed in Lyon-France, expressing their full support of workers in Iran. The representative of this organization also gave a report on the event they organized in May 2011 in Lyon in support of Iranian workers.
Two other members of Senegalese trade unions spoke on IRI violation of workers' rights in Iran, and their organizations' continued support for all the incarcerated workers in Iran, and IRI's obligations to respect the Labour accords and agreements it has signed.
The first part of the protest ended with music and chanting. Protesters began chanting in condemnation of IRI and in support of expelling the sham delegates of IRI from ILO. Messages of solidarity from various parties and groups in support of the event and its demands were also read.
Towards the end, Mr. Alain Baron announced that Solidaires Syndicate has received many messages of solidarity for June 9th Protest from workers' organizations in Spain, Italy, Poland, Argentina, Brazil, and Senegal. It should also be mentioned that workers of Iran Khodro, the largest vehicle manufacturing company in Iran, had also sent a statement in support of the protest.
From the beginning to the end, the protest was held in a most comradely atmosphere, and many of the participants viewed it as successful instance of workers' international solidarity and cooperation. IASWI activists from Switzerland, France, England and Sweden participated in this protest, and conducted many interviews with various media outlets.
IASWI once more thanks and honours the French Workers' Collective in Support of Workers in Maghreb and Middle East, Swiss Trade Unions, and all other labour representatives and workers' organizations, especially from Senegal, Italy and other countries, that actively participated in this protest. We hope future campaigns in support of workers in Iran will be carried out in various shapes and forms worldwide. The protest was a lesson on the importance of international solidarity of workers, and a very constructive learning experience for Iranian labour activists as well.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) [email protected] / www.ethadbinalmelali.com
Links to some reports and interviews: Link to reports and interviews in Farsi on June 9, 2011 day of action in Geneva RadioLabour interview on June 9, 2011 day of action CGAS call out to distribute leaflets to ILO delegates on June 9, 2011 http://onvaulxmieuxqueca.ouvaton.org/spip.php?article1615 http://www.cgas.ch/SPIP/IMG/pdf/2011-06-09cgas_Iraniens_tract_OIT.pdf http://www.aleph-news.net/?p=18293 http://agendamilitant.besancon.over-blog.com/article-mobilisation-iran-09-06-geneve-73821146.html http://www.aipazcomun.org/spip.php?article959 http://www.cgtra.org/spip.php?article760 http://paris.indymedia.org/spip.php?article1576&calendrier_mois=9&calendrier_annee=2001 'CGAS-Geneva: labour movement in Geneva in support of June 9th action called by French trade unions French trade union collective call for June 9th, 2011 demonstration in support of workers in Iran
Mahmoud Salehi's most recent grievance against the Iranian government on behalf of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations
Mr. Juan Somavia Director-General International Labour Organisation (ILO) 4 route des Morillons CH-1211 Genève 22 Switzerland
June 10, 2011 By email: [email protected]
Dear Director-General;
In 2010 (1389), I formally lodged a complaint against the Iranian government on behalf of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations for the violation of conventions 87 and 98 which the Iranian state has committed to respect.
We are under the impression that all ILO member states are required to submit reports detailing their compliance with the obligations of the international conventions and the International Labour Conference's Committee on the Application of Standards examines all violations of international labour standards.
The Iranian government, despite their claim for observing Conventions 87 and 98, has done nothing to guarantee the rights stipulated in these conventions. Furthermore, the government has continuously violated these rights. For instance, while the International Labour Conference, 1-17 June 2011, is taking place, 12 members of the Coordinating Committee in Sanandaj (Vafa Ghaderi, Sedigh Sobhani, Yadullah Samadi, Kiomars Ghaderi, Habibollah Kale-Kani, Erfan Naderi, Kaveh Bahrami, Jamal Govili, Vahed Khani, Fayegh Sobhani, Keyvan Sobhani, and Zahir Razavi) are being put on trial at the branch 1 of the Islamic Revolution Court, only for the “crime” of demanding formation of workers’ organization. Moreover, 6 members of the Coordinating Committee in Sanandaj and Saqez (Mahmoud Salehi, Hossein Moradi, Vafa Ghaderi, Ghaleb Hosseini, Khaled Hosseini, Yadullah Ghotbi) were arrested on May 1, 2011 and released on heavy bails and are expected to be put on trial at the Branch 2 of the City of Sanandaj’s Islamic Revolution Court within the next few days with the charge of organizing a May Day even.
In addition, as you know well, it has been long time that Mansour Osanloo, Reza Shahabi, Ebrahim Madadi, for organizing the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Company, and Behnam Ebrahimzadeh, a labour activist, have been imprisoned. Although Mr. Osanloo has been temporary released he is put on heavy bail and faces restrictive conditions. Moreover, a number of teachers including Hashem Khansar and Rasoul Bodaghi are in prison as well.
This is only a small part of the violation of conventions 87 and 98. If we take all other conventions on the rights of workers into consideration, we will conclude that this government has not respected a number of its international obligations. For instance, Conventions 111 and 95 should be highlighted here. In our country, workers face all forms of discrimination in employment and are not paid at time for 12 months or even more. Some government and non-governmental organizations require a Bsij ID card in order to hire new employees otherwise people are denied employment.
Iran is a member of the ILO but the government of Iran continues to violate international conventions on the protection of the rights of workers. Therefore, we are once against respectfully asking the Director-General of the ILO to address these violations of workers’ rights according to the Iranian government’s constitutional and international obligations.
Sincerely, Mahmoud Salehi (On Behalf of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations-Iran)
CC: Mr. Guy Ryder, Executive Director, Standards and Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work, ILO: Ms. Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Director International Labour Standards, ILO Ms. Karen Curtis, Deputy Director of the International Labour Standards Department, ILO Mr. Dan Cunniah; Director, Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) Ms. Anna Biondi, Deputy Director, Bureau for Workers' Activities (ACTRAV) Ms. Raquel Gonzalez, Director, the secretariat of the ILO Workers' Group: Ms. Esther Busser, Deputy Director, the secretariat of the ILO Workers' Group
Iran Khodro Workers' open letter to ILO
From: Iran Khodro workers To: Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO)
Dear Director-General,
With greetings and expression of our gratitude on the occasion of the one hundredth anniversary of International Labour Conference
Dear Director- General and attendees,
We are sending you this letter from a country that prohibits us from having any type of Freedom as well as job and life security. We are deprived of all kinds of human and labour rights as well as establishment of labour organizations.
Authors of this letter are a group of representatives of Iran Khodro workers, who would like to apologize in advance for not being able to disclose our names for security and safety reasons.
Your honour,
The problems of our labour society are to an extent that not even dozens of complaints against the Islamic Republic will solve the slightest of it. Annual International Labour Conference takes place every year and we request that if no measures are to be taken in betterment of our situation, please do not strengthen the problems in any means. We have repeatedly requested in previous year’s letters to take a step towards resolving Iranian worker’s deplorable situation, but no real measures have taken place.
Mr. General-Director,
In the previous years we have repeatedly voiced our concern in regards to the violation of the most basic labour rights by the Iranian government. We believe as a part of the Labour society, we have the right to internationally recognized human rights. We, workers of Iran, have witnessed these commotions and denial of human rights and see it our duty to remind the world of these issues in order to regain our denied rights. Although your organization’s mission is to address workers' and employers' legal rights, we have unfortunately witnessed lack of attention to workers' conditions. As you may be aware, the Islamic Republic has violated labour rights for years and has brutally repressed this segment of the society and this is while Iran is a member of ILO and sends their appointed representatives to your annual conference despite the fact that they have no legitimacy among Iranian workers. We expect you to obligate your members to abide by the laws of this organization and hold them accountable for the apparent denial of human and workers' rights.
We workers of Iran Khodro proclaim an indictment against the Iranian government for their repeated violations of human and workers rights, the prohibition of establishment of labour organizations, murdering workers, incarcerating workers, and stripping away the job security by dismissing workers’ representatives and: We request that your Excellency to put the following case on your agenda.
Murderers of Iran Khodro workers must be identified, tried accordingly, and be dismissed from International Labour Organization. On 1/25/2011, more than 10 workers of Iran Khordo died in a brutal accident and many more were injured due to non-compliance with safety regulations.
The report of Islamic Republic’s official labour news agency: Death of 8 workers of Iran Khordo: http://www.ilna.ir/newsText.aspx?id=176449
After hearing the news, workers of Iran Khodro did not go home; instead, they formed a silent protest at Iran Khodro. They were going to protest until someone was to be held responsible for the death of these workers. The protesting workers were immediately faced with hundreds of police forces, Intelligence units, and militia; dozens of workers were arrested and detained, several of whom have not yet been released. During this time, workers continued their protests, as they believed murder had taken place and the death of their colleagues was due to lack of sufficient safety for the workers. Management requested that workers send a group of representatives to participate in a meeting with security commanders and Tehran’s governor for resolving this issue, but workers have been deprived from having any type of labour organization and do not have any representatives; thus they refrained from sending a representatives due to security reasons and the fear of expulsion from work (we had a similar experience in 2003 during which 20 workers were expelled); instead all workers declared themselves as representatives rather than naming any specific person. However, management insisted on naming specific people as representatives and ensured they will not face any future security issues. As the result, 28 individuals were elected spontaneously and they pointed out several demands, some of which are mentioned below:
· To identify and put on trial those responsible for this incident through establishment of a fact-finding committee with the presence of worker’s elected representatives. · Immediate and unconditional release of arrested protestors, resignation of Board of Directors and the withdrawal of security forces from the company. · Announcement of the true death toll of this incident and holding a memorial to honour workers who lost their lives in the presence of workers and their families. · To bear all costs of living for the families of the fallen workers. · Free election for workers’ organization without government’s or intelligence forces’ interference. · Payment of delayed wages. · Elimination of wage discrimination. · Abolition of forced overtime. · No work schedule on the statutory holidays. · Formation of health and safety committee with presence of workers’ representatives.
And many more requests that are yet to be addressed by the Company’s Management team; not only that, they have fired a number of Iran Khodro representatives since then, imprisoned workers and have turned the company into a garrison by presence of security forces in the company. We, workers of Iran Khodro, hold the government of Islamic Republic who is attending the International Labour Conference accountable for the death of our colleagues and incarceration and dismissal of many more. We hold the government accountable for lack of action to identify the cause as well as the perpetrators of the death of our colleagues. The government has to explain why they have created an intimidating environment where workers are deprived of their job security and personal safety and face imprisonment. We demand explanation regarding the reasons our representatives have been dismissed dismissal
Iran Khodro worker’s dismissal link: A Question from Moharebian in regards to 11 Iran Khodro representative’s dismissal: http://www.jamejamonline.ir/newstext.aspx?newsnum=100842965497
Dear General-Director and attendees,
· We, workers of Iran Khodro, demand trial for the killers of murdered workers · We demand an end to threat, intimidation, and censorship and want freedom of speech and opinion · We demand respect towards our job security and abolition of temporary contracts · We want dismissed workers of Iran Khodro to be brought back to work · We demand immediate investigation on delayed wages · We demand freedom of independent labour organizations without interference of the government and employer · We demand an end to wage discrimination on equal jobs (temporary contracts) · We want an end to discrimination in hiring practices due to ideological differences and inquisition of people’s belief system.
Your Excellency, according to media, at the International Labour Conference held in Geneva, unfortunately yet again a group is representing Iranian workers that have not been elected in any form of democratic election. Hereby, we, the workers of Iran Khodro one of the largest manufacturing companies with more than 30 thousand workers, declare the illegitimacy of these so called “workers’ representatives” of the Iranian government and strongly condemn their presence at the International Labour Conference. A group of Iran Khodro workers 06/06/2011 CC : UN Human Rights; Amnesty International
Translated by IASWI Original link in Farsi: http://khodrokarr.wordpress.com/ IASWI Condemns back-to-work legislation against Canadian postal workers
IASWI strongly the Canada Post Corporation's decision to lock-out about 50000 workers instead of negotiating a collective agreement with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW). We also strongly condemn the Federal Conservative government's repressive back-to work legislation against postal workers. This legislation is a violation of all international Conventions on the fundamental right of workers to organize, to bargain collectively and to strike.
The Conservative Government of Canada has shown that, similar to the anti-worker government of Iran and other repressive regimes, they have no respect for workers' rights and the freedom of association and speech and free collective bargaining. The International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran stands in solidarity with postal workers in Canada and will continue to participate in their actions and struggles.
An injury to one is an injury to all. The struggle continues.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI)-Canada Division June 22, 2011
See links below: Oppose back-to-work legislation against Canadian postal workers IASWI supports Canadian Union of Postal Workers 5 ways to support CUPW members on strike IASWI statement on 9 June, 2011 action in Geneva
First of all we would like to thank four French Trade Union federations, CGT, FSU, Solidaires and UNSA for organising this gathering and to the Swiss trade unions UNIA and CGAS for supporting this action. We would also like to thank you all for your participation. This action shows that jailed workers activists and workers in Iran are not alone in the struggle for their basic rights which for more than three decades has been suppressed by the anti-worker Islamic regime of Iran.
We hope this action by French and Swiss comrades to set an example for other workers organisations around the world to organise international solidarity actions in support of workers in Iran. We will put more effort than before for such actions and will cooperate with all genuine workers' organisations.
The question of how and with what justification delegates from Iran can attend the International Labour Conference and even obtain official posts in the ILO must be answered by the ILO itself. Is it necessary that we prove once again to the ILO that the so called workers delegates from Iran are commanding members of the Workers House and Islamic Councils which have direct and active roles in suppressing workers struggles in Iran.
We are here to protest loudly and strongly against this regime and the delegates which are paid representatives of the regime and not the workers in Iran. We are here to declare that representatives of this regime must be expelled from any organisations that claim to stand for workers and human rights.
The Islamic regime of Iran for more than three decades has systematically violated and suppressed workers' basic rights; workers activists are being continuously suppressed for trying to set up independent workers organisations. Many of these activists such as Reza Shahabi, Ebrahim Madadi and Behnam Ebrahimzadeh are currently in prison. Workers rights to collative bargaining are denied. The current minimum wage set up by the regime is one third of poverty line; wages of thousands of workers have not been paid for months and in some cases for three years. Gender, religious, national and other forms of discrimination are implemented in work places and the society as a whole. Child labour is widespread. Still all of this is only part of very broad and blunt violation of rights of workers by capitalists and the repressive Islamic regime.
In spite of these conditions, workers struggle to achieve their basic demand continues. On the eve of May Day 2011 independent workers organisations in Iran in a joint statement, once again announced their demands and expressed their determination to achieve them. We firmly support their demands and in line with their aims we announced that:
1- We strongly condemn any attack against workers and demand immediate and unconditional release of all incarcerated workers and indeed all political prisoners in Iran. 2- We demand unconditional freedom for establishment of independent labour organisations, strikes, protest, rally, and political parties, freedom of assembly and expression, and press. These are inalienable rights of workers and people of Iran. 3 - Minimum wages set up by the government which is one third of poverty line while cutting the subsidies means inflicting misery on the majority of population. While the inhuman wage system still is in place we demand that wage to be bargained for by true representatives of workers based on latest standard in the world. 4 - We demand an end to all forms of discrimination against women. We demand equal rights for women in all aspects of economic, social, cultural and family life. 5 - Afghan workers in Iran are part of Iranian working class. We condemn any discrimination against Afghan workers and against Afghans living in Iran. We demand equal citizen rights for them. 6 – Capital punishment is a despicable act of crime. We demand an end to capital punishment as well as physical and mental torture. 7 – Non-payment of wages should be treated as criminal offense, and employers who do not pay workers wages should be charged for such offense. We demand immediate payment of unpaid wages and support those workers struggling for payment of late wages. 8 - Child labour should be abolished. Children and parents must be protected by full social security, free education, health system, irrespective of their family economic, social, background and irrespective of their nationally, gender, religious, and ethnicity. 9 – Number of work related accidents and deaths in Iran is terrifying. Islamic regime must be forced to improve work safety. 10 - Unemployment is a major factor for increase of addictions, poverty, prostitutions and crime. The state must be hold accountable in this regard. All those who reached the legal age to work and all unemployed people should received unemployment benefits and be protected by social security. 11 - The working class is worldwide, as is the capitalism is a world system. Labour rights' violation in any country means an attack to working people everywhere. International solidarity of working class is the only guarantee for defending their livelihoods and progress toward victory against capitalist world. Today’s gathering is a step in this direction. We once again thank you all for being here and especially thank our French and Swiss friends and comrades for organising this gathering.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran June 9, 2011
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