An appeal from the Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network for an international solidarity campaign in support of Iranian trade union activists, who have suffered brutal repression at the hands hired thugs, whose aim is to block the reawakening of the Iranian workers’ movement which is taking place.
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We strongly condemn the recent grave developments within the Iranian workers’ movement and express deep concern about their possible effects on the militancy of labour activists in the next period. What began as seemingly isolated abductions of individual activists Sadegh Amiri, a member of the Committee in Pursuit of Free Labour Organisations in Iran, and Parviz Salarvand, a worker at the Iran Khodro car plant, prepared the ground for a well-organised attack by pro-regime ‘labour’ elements on a budding independent trade union.
It is clear to us that elements within the Iranian regime allowed officials of the ‘Labour House’ and the ‘Islamic Labour Council’ to attack activists trying to set up an independent trade union in Sherkat-e Vahed, a Tehran transport company. This was a violent attack, led by the Secretary of the ‘Islamic Labour Council’, during which an attempt was made to cut out the tongue of one of the activists. Many of the trade union activists were injured and their office was ransacked by these government-sanctioned ‘labour’ officials.
We hope that the solidarity of the international labour and socialist movements can put pressure on the relevant legal bodies in Iran to prosecute these individuals and disband their organisations. If elements within the Iranian government resist or hinder this process then holding a trial under the auspices of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and similar international labour bodies in an EU country would be an important step in protecting the just rights of Iranian workers.
Such a development will set a precedent so that no other group will ever attempt to force workers, their genuine representatives or independent organisations, to be afraid of carrying out their rightful activities to defend their jobs and working conditions.
Free Parviz Salarvand now!
Stop all abductions, harassment and arrests of labour activists!
Arrest the ‘Labour House’ and ‘Islamic Labour Council’ officials now!
Hold an independent workers’ trial to bring the enemies of labour to justice!
Disband all pro-regime ‘labour’ organisations!
Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network
Workers’ Action Committee (Iran)
20 May 2005
Name + Organisation/position
M. Razi, Editor of Kargar.org
Sara Ghazi, Editor of Kargar-e Socialist
Roza Javan, Editor of Javan-e Socialist
Amin Kazemi, Convener of Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network