[petition] Escalating repression against Iranian labour rights activists

[ckaihatsu]

[petition] Escalating repression against Iranian labour rights activists


IUF
Uniting food, farm and hotel workers world-wide

On June 15 60 trade union and worker rights activists were arrested by heavily armed police at a peaceful meeting of the Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers' Organizations in the city of Karaj. Most were released within 24 hours, but nine remain in the custody of the intelligence services. Among those arrested and later released were Mahmoud Salehi, founder of an independent bakers union in Iran's Kurdistan province who has served several prison terms.

There is good reason to fear for the physical and psychological integrity of those still in detention.

These new arrests follow the recent sentencing to 6 years imprisonment of Tehran transport workers' union activist Reza Shahabi and Teachers' Association activist Rasoul Bodaghi.

These rights defenders need international solidarity and support. Click here to send a message (http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.justiceforiranianworkers.or g%2F%3Fp%3D1576&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFENBOF0oD8FwEI3_QmjXbQ3KTjyA) to the Iranian authorities through our sister website Justice for Iranian Workers calling for their immediate and unconditional release.

Ron Oswald
General Secretary, IUF

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

8, rampe du Pont-Rouge
1213 Petit Lancy, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 793 22 33
Fax: +41 22 793 22 38
web-site: www.iuf.org

[hashem]

signing petitions?! sending messages to Iranian authorities?! these are not tasks of revolutionaries. such actions may even lead people to reformism and begging from governments instead of struggling against them. you can only send a message to Iranian authorities when you believe they care about worker rights. so instead of increasing class consciousness, you are provoking illusions.

[ckaihatsu]

signing petitions?! sending messages to Iranian authorities?! these are not tasks of revolutionaries. such actions may even lead people to reformism and begging from governments instead of struggling against them. you can only send a message to Iranian authorities when you believe they care about worker rights. so instead of increasing class consciousness, you are provoking illusions.


I'll respectfully disagree -- this is, unfortunately, a necessary political task of solidarity for those involved in political struggles. I'd prefer circumstances where I'd be sending a message to the activists to urge them to vote for workers-council power instead of a constituent assembly across the entire Middle East, but that is not the world we live in right now.

[hashem]

what kind of "political task" is this? how can signing petitions or sending messages to Iranian authorities help anyone in Iran? those "authorities" are the ones who are leading the attacks on workers. political task of worker activists is increasing class consciousness of workers and organizing them.

you are provoking illusions about possibility of reforms under a barbaric dictatorship which is not even able to tolerate the islamist "reformists" anymore. you are saying that "authorities" care about workers and therefore workers should write to them and beg their demands from them.

but even small reforms are gained when workers seize them through united and organized struggle.

[ckaihatsu]

what kind of "political task" is this?





These rights defenders need international solidarity and support.




[S]end a message to the Iranian authorities through our sister website Justice for Iranian Workers calling for their immediate and unconditional release.





how can signing petitions or sending messages to Iranian authorities help anyone in Iran?





[C]all [...] for their immediate and unconditional release.





those "authorities" are the ones who are leading the attacks on workers.





On June 15 60 trade union and worker rights activists were arrested by heavily armed police [...]




Most were released within 24 hours, but nine remain in the custody of the intelligence services.





political task of worker activists is increasing class consciousness of workers and organizing them.


Yes, agreed -- it's not an either-or thing.





you are provoking illusions about possibility of reforms under a barbaric dictatorship which is not even able to tolerate the islamist "reformists" anymore.


This is *not* a call for a change of permanent policy -- that *would* be provoking illusions in reformism. This is a case-by-case call for immediate measures to be taken in light of recent dire events.





you are saying that "authorities" care about workers and therefore workers should write to them and beg their demands from them.


I am not imputing any behavioral characteristics on those in power being communicated with.

I disagree with your characterization of this campaign as being one of "begging".





but even small reforms are gained when workers seize them through united and organized struggle.


Yes, agreed.

[MuscularTophFan]

The only way for workers union rights to be restored in Iran is if the mullah Islamic regime is crushed. Just like women's rights and gay rights can not coexist in an Islamic theocracy. Iran like every other country is in desperate need for equality.

The best way to stand against the Iranian regime is to stand with the Iranian people. In a few more years I do believe there will be workers revolution in Iran. I think the large Iranian unemployment along with modernized secular popular of Iran will spark the second Iranian Spring. What we need to do is stand with solidarity with our comrades in their struggle for equality.