Statement of
the Campaign of Activists of the
Iranian Workers’ Movement Abroad
The powerful and united force of the workers in the Iranian Revolution of 1979 was one of the fundamental motors which overthrew the despotic regime. The workers hoped that with the fall of the monarchist regime they would have a life worthy of human being and all kind of discrimination, and social, economic and political inequality would cease.
But, about 30 years after the Revolution no improvement has occurred in the general situation of the workers and they live in much more lamentable conditions. Job security has left the workers community; precarious contracts and employment, extension of poverty and increasing social destitution, wage payment cessation, enslavement of the children of labour, repression, arrests, and systematic imprisoning of labour activists who struggle for the most basic and internationally acknowledged rights of the workers, double discrimination against women, etc., continue in Iran.
Consequently, with the conviction that within the framework of the present system the workers and toiling people will never obtain their human rights and that the only way for getting rid of the current situation is to send this regime into the dustbin of history, we, signatories of the present declaration in defence of the just vindications of Iranian workers demand the following:
1 – Unconditional liberation of Mahmoud Salehi and other arrested workers including Sheys Amani and Seddigh Karimi; suppression of all judicial verdicts against Mansour Ossanloo and all labour activists!
2 – Expedition of a fact-finding group by the international organizations defending the workers’ rights to Iran in order to survey the workers situation in this country!
3 - Expulsion from International Labour Organization the body sent by the Regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the name of the workers, i.e. Workers’ House and Islamic Labour councils, and invitation of the authentic and elected workers’ representatives to ILO and other international organizations in order to recount the problems and difficulties of Iranian workers!
4 –The rights of the immigrant workers are to be recognized in Iran and the expulsion of Afghan workers residing in Iran must be stopped!
5 – Recognition of all of the internationally acknowledged workers rights including the right of association, strike, and independent celebration of the May Day!
6- Suppression of all discrimination and social, economic and political inequality in workplaces and the society at large against the women!
7 – Application of all international conventions about forbidding the employment of children and child labour laws; and condemning the Islamic Republic of Iran for the non execution of international conventions.
The Campaign of the Activists of Iranian Workers’ Movement Abroad
* 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 – Koln
* Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Frankfurt and Suburb
* Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hanovre
* Committee of Solidarity with Iranian Workers – Hamburg
* International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
June 8, 2007