The following are some of the statements issued by the IASWI in opposition to the war and sanction as well as opposition to any collaboration with governments and pro-capitalist forces:
…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 directed 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 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 detrimental 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