Stop the Slander!
A Response to Mather’s Article published in Weekly Worker
We are writing this response for the readers of the Weekly Worker and others that have read the above two articles. The International Alliance in Support of Workers' in Iran (IASWI) is a campaign of labour activists in different countries that have been working collaboratively since 1999 (formally established in January 2000), to provide news and information and organize international solidarity campaigns in support of workers' rights and struggles in Iran. The IASWI is a non-sectarian/non-partisan campaign. We work with labour activists, being Iranian or from any other parts of the world, to raise awareness and solidarity with working class struggles in Iran. Our members and colleagues, in the past 9 years, included labour activists with no political affiliation as well as socialist and communist activists and progressive labour activists who are members of unions and labour organizations in different countries and Iranian labour activists in exile. Although they all have socialist and leftist tendencies, there is no common political tendency amongst our colleagues. They have only agreed to follow the IASWI’s goals and principles in support of the working class struggles in Iran. We are supporting the formation of independent worker organizations in Iran that are independent from the government and capitalists. Therefore, one of our widely known main principles is that we strongly oppose any collaboration with or receiving financial support from any governments, government-sponsored institutions, capitalist organizations and corporations in any parts of the world. We also have had a strong position against the war on Iraq or against Iran or any other countries by the US and its allies. We have issued numerous statements and drafted numerous resolutions in support of workers’ struggles in Iran and in opposition to war, military intervention and sanctions against Iran (See below). The IASWI has persistently highlighted the need to be strongly opposing war and sanctions while supporting the ever-growing workers’ struggles and labour movements in Iran.
What is more disappointing about the above articles on Weekly Worker is that not even once the IASWI’s documents or statements were mentioned or referred to.
Mather’s article claims to address the positions of various opposition groups in abroad on war against Iran; here we are talking about tens if not hundreds of groups, organizations and political parties; but one wonders why only the “IASWI activists” (and not even the IASWI itself) are repeatedly referred to without any mention of the strong anti-war position and the numerous resolutions which were drafted and promoted by the IASWI - without any actual quotation from the IASWI’s strong stance against any military attacks or sanctions against Iran. Is it too difficult to guess only the U.S. and the Islamic regimes’ apologists would benefit from such flawed articles? These articles are also about the defamation of a progressive worker solidarity campaign that has been organizing numerous actions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, mostly in partnership with many other progressive and leftist non-Iranian and Iranian groups. These two articles are clear examples of irresponsible and unprincipled sectarianism.
The IASWI was the first labour group ever in the Iranian labour movement, in Iran or abroad, that issued a strong statement against The American Centre for International Labor Solidarity (The Solidarity Centre). Our statement and interviews raised enormous awareness amongst labour activists in Iran and abroad and was a big factor in preventing the Solidarity Centre’s influence in Iran. We made it clear that the Iranian labour movement opposes any support or contacts from instruments of the US administration and other capitalist institutions and governments. Unlike the implicit accusations by Mather and her colleague, the Iranian labour movement, both inside Iran and in exile, are progressive, independent, and anti-capitalist with strong socialist tendencies.
The IASWI has been promoting genuine and transparent worker to worker solidarity campaigns. We have organized, in partnership with progressive labour organizations, forums and discussions to strategizing actions/campaigns in support of worker to worker solidarity with Iranian labour movement and building effective links between progressive Iranian groups and progressive labour and anti-war movements (see below).
Without any proper referencing Mather writes, “IASWI activists issuing a leaflet in Farsi last year claiming that imperialism and war were not important to the issue of defending Iranian workers”. We do not know which statement or “IASWI activists” Mather is referring to. As an academic, Mather probably knows better that her article would fail because of lack of proper citation and references and unsubstantiated arguments. For the record, all of the IASWI’s statements have its signature on them and are posted on our Farsi and/or English websites (Please refer to some of our statements against war and sanctions below). Therefore, even if some members of the IASWI had ever issued a leaflet in Farsi with their own names and in their individual capacity about war or any other subjects they should be hold accountable for their own statements, of course with proper citation and documentation. It seems that Mather and her colleague who have written the above two articles in English have been counting on the “limited” knowledge of the “non-Iranian” readers about the dynamism of the left and labour movement in Iran and also the fact that very few Iranian labour and left activists read their articles. Otherwise, it is absolutely clear that these antagonistic claims about the IASWI are neither true nor ethical.
Again, which “forces encourage trade unionists not to challenge either capitalism or the regime”? Despite its relatively small size as a non-sectarian labour solidarity campaign, the IASWI has been a persistent force against the Islamic regime of Iran and against the government-sponsored Workers’ House and Islamic Labour Councils. The IASWI has always been organizing various campaigns or actions in defense of workers’ struggles and against the Islamic regime and employers and capitalists in Iran. One can agree or disagree with our actions, demonstrations and campaigns but cannot deny them. Even, in their individual capacity, many of our colleagues have written numerous articles against the regime and capitalism; against the Solidarity Centre and the right wing and reformist central labour bodies; against the ILO and the pro-capitalist tripartism and against the US and its allies’ war and sanctions against Iran, Iraq and so on? Of course, all these activists put their own names on their articles and should take responsibility for their personal writings. If anyone intends to critique their work they should first accurately quote their writings or interviews, clearly mention their names and challenge them in whatever capacity they introduce themselves in their articles. As the IASWI, we defend statements and actions signed/endorsed by the IASWI only and that’s all. Therefore, we ask Yassamine Mather and her colleague to stop the slander against the IASWI.
International Relations- International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
January 20, 2009
Notes: The following are some examples of The IASWI work in relation to the issues raised in this paper:
…This brings us to the issue of peace. It is important to emphasize that the US Administration’s drive to wage war and military aggressions in the region, beside their imperialistic economic and political interests, has been a pretext for attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights in the US and other parts of the world. In Iraq, these policies have brought absolute disaster for the Iraqi people. About Iran, what is taking place presently, between the US and its European allies and the capitalist Islamic Republic regime in Iran, has no progressive or legitimate sides. A working class perspective does not take sides in such a reactionary dispute. The United States government, which in collaboration with businesses and industries has for years stripped workers
of so many of their rights and protections, as the most dangerous nuclear and military power and the only government ever used the atomic bomb against people, has no credibility at all; similarly, the Islamic Republic of Iran, which has killed or imprisoned hundreds of thousands of labour activists, socialists, human rights activists, students and intellectuals and sent millions to exile has absolutely no legitimacy for the Iranian people, particularly in the eyes of the working class, women, youth and the ever-growing poor populations in the country. A progressive position in defence of peace and the independence of the labour movement not only opposes any attempts to pursue war or economic sanctions against Iran, it ought, at the same time, support the ever-increasing workers’ struggles against the repressive Islamic regime and capitalists in Iran, which are forcefully implementing the most aggressive and violent anti-worker and neo-liberal policies in this country’s contemporary history.
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About the threats of war against Iran
The US Administration’s drive to wage war and military aggressions against countries like Iraq or Iran, beside their economic and political interests, has been a pretext for attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights in the US and other parts of the world. It has brought absolute disaster for the Iraqi people. What is taking place presently, between the US and its European allies and the Iranian government, has no progressive or legitimate sides. A working class perspective does not take sides in such a reactionary dispute. The United States government, which in collaboration with businesses and industries has for years stripped workers of so many of their rights and protections, as the most dangerous nuclear and military power and the only government ever used the atomic bomb against people, has no credibility whatsoever on this issue; similarly, the Iranian government, which has killed or imprisoned hundreds of thousands of labour activists, socialists, human rights activists, students and intellectuals and sent millions to exile has absolutely no legitimacy to represent the Iranian populations, particularly the working class, women and the ever-growing poor people in the country. A progressive position not only proactively opposes any attempts to pursue war or economic sanctions against Iran, it ought, at the same time, support the workers’ struggles against the repressive government and capitalists in Iran who are forcefully implementing the most aggressive anti-worker and neo-liberal policies in the country’s contemporary history.
Long Live Workers’ International Solidarity!
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
April 24, 2006
http://www.workers-iran.org/VAHED/May%20Day%202006,%20Iran.htm
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International Workers’ Solidarity, Governments and the State-sponsored Organizations
The International Alliance in Support of Workers' in Iran (IASWI), as an organization in defence of workers’ struggles in Iran, welcomes international solidarity and cooperative efforts by the independent labour organizations and trade unions. This approach in promotion of labour solidarity does not imply any formal or informal consent or agreements, or the sharing of similar ideas and beliefs, on any other issues. Taking this approach into consideration, we will continue to contact and cooperate with unions, local, national and international labour federations as well as labour and progressive activists, based only on the interests of the working class.
The IASWI does not however support collaboration with governments and other organizations that are controlled and/or financially supported by governments and capitalists. Such collaborations are against the underlying principles of the working class international solidarity and compromise the struggle for the formation of free and independent labour organizations. Furthermore, such collaborations with states and capitalist classes would contribute to the subjugation and control of the labour movement in the interest of the capitalist system (thus far, pro-capitalist approaches have not been able to achieve such disastrous aims in Iran as the Iranian labour activists have demonstrated great class consciousness).
Having said the above, we ought to draw attention to one particular organization, The American Centre for International Labor Solidarity (The Solidarity Centre), which has in recent months intensified its activities in relation to Iran. We believe the Solidarity Centre is not a genuine workers’ organization and therefore not a credible means at all for advancing the causes of the working class independent movements. According to available documents, this organization is in deed an instrument for implementation and promotion of the United States’ Administration’s foreign policies in different countries.
The Solidarity Centre’s activities, which are funded more than 90 percent by the United States’ federal government and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), included actions and financial contributions to a coup d'état against the Hugo Chavez government in Venezuela as well as the weakening of the Venezuelan economy in favour of the US policies; intervention in Haiti supporting the US sponsored coup and similar actions in other places. These facts have been revealed and publicised by labour activists in the United States and caused numerous protests by labour activists and organizations in the US; furthermore, some labour councils and federations in various states have issued statements and resolutions against the Solidarity Centre and its activities and have demanded all financial contributions and ties with the US government and the NED to be discontinued. Therefore, based on all this, and because of the fact that the American Federation of Labour (AFL-CIO), which controls the Solidarity Centre, has not formally and openly made any efforts to stop the financial contributions of the United States government to the Solidarity Centre, and because the US government has assigned special budget for a “plan” to “promote democracy in Iran”, the IASWI proclaims that not only any interventions or activities of the Solidarity Centre in relation to the Iranian labour movement will be harmful to the current and strategic interests of the working class in Iran and its autonomous class straggles, but also it would be beneficial to the US government and the capitalist classes.
The IASWI, as mentioned above, will continue to reach out to and work with labour and progressive activists and genuine and independent labour organizations around the world, including in the USA, based on the international working class interests.
The International Alliance in Support of Workers' in Iran (IASWI)
March 2007
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The following three resolutions were drafted by the activists of the IASWI, who are union members in Canada, with the support of CUPE and CUPW activists. They were presented in resolution books in CUPE Ontario and the CLC convention.
Resolution in Support of Workers in Iran and against the war
WHEREAS Iranian workers have consistently witnessed the imposition of anti-labour and neo-liberal policies and practices and;
WHEREAS workers in Iran do not have the right to organize and strike and frequently face persecution, arrests and imprisonment –the persecution of the activists of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and imprisonment of Mahmoud Salehi and Mansour Osanloo and whipping sentences against other labour activists are just some known examples and;
WHEREAS, the Bush Administration’s drive to war against countries including Iraq, Afghanistan… has been a pretext for massive attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights; this policy is not only disastrous and unacceptable under any pretext but also its main victims are always working class and their families.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian labour movement strongly condemns the persecution of labour activists by the Islamic Republic of Iran and supports the rights of workers in Iran to freely set up their independent workers’ organizations and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as part of the worldwide struggles against corporate globalization and neo-liberalism, the Canadian labour movement will work with independent labour movements in Iran to strengthen a transparent worker-to-worker solidarity;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian labour movement take a clear and early stand against any attempts by the US administration and its allies to pursue economic sanctions and military interventions against Iran.
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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF IRANIAN WORKERS
The CLC will:
* Condemn the persecution of labour activists in the Iran and support the right of Iranian workers to freely establish independent workers’ organizations
* Work with independent labour organizations in Iran to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity, as part of the world-wide struggle against neo-liberal globalization.
* Take a clear stand against any attempts by the U.S. and its allies to pursue economic sanctions and military interventions against Iran.
It will do so because:
* Anti-labour and neo-liberal policies have consistently been imposed on Iranian workers
* Iranian workers have no right to strike and often face persecution and imprisonment, such as the activists of the Tehran Bus Drivers’ Union, Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi and the labour activists organizing May Day events
* Bush’s drive to war against Iran has been a pretext for disastrous attacks on workers’ and human rights.
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CUPE Ontario Will:
1. Support the rights of Iranian workers to set up independent workers’ organizations
2. As part of worldwide struggles against corporate globalization and neo-liberalism work with the independent labour movement in Iran to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity
3. Call on CUPE National and the CLC to take a clear and early stand against any attempts by the US government to pursue a war against Iran
Because:
* Iranian workers have consistently witnessed the imposition of anti-labour laws and policies and;
* workers in Iran do not have the right to organize and strike and frequently face persecution, arrests and imprisonment –the persecution of the activists of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and arrests and prosecution of labour activists for organizing Labour Day on May 1st 2004 in Saqez are just two known examples and;
* the Bush Administration’s drive to war against countries including Iran has been a pretext for massive attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights.
Resolution in Support of Workers in Iran
WHEREAS Iranian workers have consistently witnessed the imposition of anti-labour and neo-liberal policies and practices and;
WHEREAS workers in Iran do not have the right to organize and strike and frequently face persecution, arrests and imprisonment –the persecution of the activists of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and imprisonment of Mahmoud Salehi and Mansour Osanloo and whipping sentences against other labour activists are just some known examples and;
WHEREAS, the Bush Administration’s drive to war against countries including Iraq, Afghanistan… has been a pretext for massive attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights; this policy is not only disastrous and unacceptable under any pretext but also its main victims are always working class and their families.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Canadian labour movement strongly condemns the persecution of labour activists by the Islamic Republic of Iran and supports the rights of workers in Iran to freely set up their independent workers’ organizations and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as part of the worldwide struggles against corporate globalization and neo-liberalism, the Canadian labour movement will work with independent labour movements in Iran to strengthen a transparent worker-to-worker solidarity;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Canadian labour movement take a clear and early stand against any attempts by the US administration and its allies to pursue economic sanctions and military interventions against Iran.
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Resolution proposed to the WFTU and its affiliates in Support of Workers in Iran and Against War and against the IRI and Workers’ House
WHEREAS the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI), has imposed deplorable political, economic and social conditions on workers and impoverished strata of society;
WHEREAS Iranian workers have consistently witnessed the imposition of anti-labour and neo-liberal policies and practices of government and employers and;
WHEREAS the IRI dismantled independent workers' councils and syndicates, which were set up democratically and freely by workers in various sectors and industries after the 1979 revolution, and identified activists of such organizations, tried them for framed up unfounded charges in sham courts, expelled many from their workplace, and arrested and executed others;
WHEREAS the government created "Islamic Labour Councils" and “Workers’ House” in order to control workers and suppress independent workers' organizations;
WHEREAS workers in Iran continue to be deprived of the right to organize and strike and frequently face persecution, arrests and imprisonment –the persecution of the activists of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company and imprisonment of Mahmoud Salehi and Mansour Osanloo and arrests and prosecution of other labour activists for organizing May Day are just some known examples and;
WHEREAS, the US Administration’s drive to wage war against countries including Iran has been a pretext for massive attacks on labour, civil, immigrant, and human rights;
WHEREAS sanctions and military intervention in Iran will be disastrous and unacceptable under any pretext and its main victims will surely by the working people of Iran.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the WFTU and its affiliates strongly support the rights of Iranian workers to freely set up their independent workers’ organizations and;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the WFTU calls for immediate and unconditional release of all arrested workers including Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that WFTU and its affiliates refuse any recognition of the “Islamic Labour councils” and “Workers’ House”, which are set up and backed by the government authorities and employers, in the name of Iranian workers.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as part of the worldwide struggles against capitalist globalization and neo-liberalism, the WFTU will work with independent labour movement in Iran to strengthen worker-to-worker solidarity;
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the WFTU takes a strong stand against any attempts by the US government and its allies to pursue sanctions and military interventions against Iran.
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The following documents were all either initiated or helped drafted by activists of the IASWI:
http://www.workers-iran.org/News/Panel%20Kargari,%20Toronto-1.wmv