Solidarity with Iranian Workers

Solidarity with Iranian workers
For the right to join and organise independent trade unions in Iran
The International Labour Organisation should stop recognising Iranian government appointees and "workers' representatives"
Free jailed trade unionists and all political prisoners
Free Mansour Osanloo Now!

Protest outside the Iranian Embassy, Princes Gate, London, SW7 1PT (nearest tube Knightsbridge) http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=iran%20embassy%20london.
Thursday 22 October 5pm-6.30pm

Independent trade unions are banned in Iran.
Workers are allowed to form Islamic Labour Councils (ILCs) in Iran but these cannot defend the terms and conditions of their members. These organisations are controlled by the government and the employers. They are not independent and free.
Workers are not allowed to meet to discuss their conditions.
Anyone organising a general assembly of workers is sacked.
In Iran leading members of trade unions are sacked, arrested, imprisoned and beaten up for their trade union activities.
Mansour Osanloo of the Syndicate of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) is still in prison.
In Iran the authorities repress gatherings by workers, for instance on May Day.
Alireza Saghafy, a member of the Centre for Workers’ Rights in Iran, was detained for five hours on 28 April 2009, during which he was reported to have been told to try to prevent a May Day rally planned for Tehran.
In Iran millions of workers suffer sweatshop conditions. There is no unemployment benefit.
There is nothing Iranian workers can legally do to defend their conditions. When Iranian workers defend themselves, they put their lives at risk.
Repressive conditions in Iran will get considerably worse after the events of June 2009.
During the June protests the regime arrested thousands of demonstrators. Many people were killed. Thousands of people are still detained. Leaders of, for instance, the women's rights movement have been detained. Many people have simply disappeared.

The Islamic Republic of Iran does not allow free and independent trade unions. On the contrary it violates workers’ rights and many other democratic rights. Why then, is it allowed to be a member of the International Labour Organisation, a body which claims to safeguard and uphold basic workers’ rights around the world? Iran is signed up to an ILO convention on gender equality, yet women workers suffer blatant sexual discrimination, are even deprived of the right to work. Why does the ILO pretend the government of Iran will treat its workers in accordance with ILO conventions? And which ILO convention calls for the banning of free trade unions?
The international labour movement needs to step up its campaign against the Iranian government’s repression of trade unions. We should demand the Iranian government allows free trade unions and workers’ rights. The ILO should not recognise Iranian government appointee as so-called workers' representatives. We campaign for these things to show the Iranian workers that we are 100% on their side in their struggle for democracy, justice and the right to organise to defend themselves.

We will be holding monthly protests outside the Iranian Embassy in London to demand these things — up until the next ILO convention in June 2010. Join our campaign and support our protests.

Called by British and Iranian socialists

Supported by:

Workers’ Liberty
Solidarity movement with Iranian people in struggle
Organization of revolutionary Workers of Iran
Worker-communist Party of Iran-Hekmatist
Emancipated Cinema
No Sweat

Please get your trade union branch etc to support our protest.
iranworkerssolidarity@yahoo.co.uk

Download a copy of the statement/leaflet for the event.

Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=122314907729&ref=mf
Flickr photostream http://www.flickr.com/photos/41087153@N07/