The demands of the All Iran Workers’ Union

Submitted by Anon on 30 June, 2006 - 4:09

“We the workers of Iran, through our strikes, sit-ins and demonstrations overthrew the Shah’s regime and during these months of strike we tolerated unemployment, poverty and even hunger. Many of us were killed in the struggle. We did this in order to create an Iran free of class repression, free of exploitation. We made the revolution in order to end unemployment and homelessness, to replace the SAVAK-orientated syndicates with independent workers’ shuras — shuras formed by the workers of each factory for their own economic and political needs.”

Workers demanded:

1. government recognition of the shuras;

2. abolition of the Shah’s labour law and enactment of a new labour law written by the workers themselves;

3. wage increases in line with the cost of living;

4. tax-free bonuses;

5. free health service instead of the present semi-private insurance system;

6. housing benefits in the shortest possible time;

7. sick pay;

8. a forty-hour five-day week;

9. the sacking of all elements closely linked with the old regime;

10. the expulsion of all foreign experts and foreign and Iranian capitalists and expropriation of their capitals in the interests of all the workers;

11. an end to discrimination against blue-collar workers and an increased annual holiday of one month;

12. improved health conditions in the factories;

13. sick pay;

14. an end to disciplinary punishments and fines;

15. an end to the intervention of the police, army and government in labour disputes;

16. inclusion of workers’ shuras in industrial decisions such as investment and the general condition of the plant, as well as buying, selling, pricing and the distribution of profit;

17. determination of hiring and firing by the shuras;

18. freedom of demonstrations and protests, and legalisation of strikes;

19. return of the capital of cooperatives to the workers;

20. free meals, washing facilities and improved safety at work;

21. provision of ambulance, nurse, bath and nursery services at work;

22. official employment and job security for temporary workers;

23. creation of a medical consulting body to review the condition of unhealthy and sick workers and to grant them exemption from work and retirement;

24. reduction of the retirement age in the mining and moulding industries from 30 to 20 years’ service.

(Sick pay appears twice in the original, from Poya)

This website uses cookies, you can find out more and set your preferences here.
By continuing to use this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.