گزارشی از تظاهرات اول ماه مه در شیکاگو

Iranian workers struggle for liberty & economic justice

May 1st 2012

On the eve of celebrating the May 1st, the internationally recognized day for solidarity among the workers of the world, it is imperative to publicize worsening of the life conditions for the working people and the masses in Iran. As in everywhere else, Iranian workers produce almost all social values, but much of it is appropriated by a tiny super rich, ruling class. The proceeds from the oil sale and rest of the generated wealth are usurped by the ruling elites that have consolidated themselves within and around the reactionary theocratic regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran. More than %80 of the workers work under temporary and short term agreements without any social benefits. Minimum wage is around $300.00 which is less than third of poverty line in Iran. The recent major cuts in subsidies and the subsequent sharp increases in inflation, has further impoverished the working people and the unemployed. More than fifty percent of the population lives under poverty line. The labor movement in Iran is in the midst of a long democratic struggle that began more than a century ago with the establishment of “The Union of Central Public workers”, among the printers in Tehran, in 1906. Unfortunately, except for a few short time junctures, it has not been able to achieve its primary goals such as the right to organize independently and exercise freely its democratic rights. Now days in Iran due to the reign of a reactionary and repressive, theocratic regime and absence of the basic human rights and civil liberties, workers face a wide range of socio-political obstacles, among them, the regime’s violent aggression against any legitimate demands on workers’ part to organize independent labor unions and peacefully fight for the interests of the labor. Nevertheless, the labor movement in Iran has been able to achieve a few victories, among them, announcement of, and worldwide recognition of the Union of Bus Drivers of Tehran and the union of Sugar plant workers of haft tapeh. The short-time labor victory against the unstable and temporary agreements through middle contractors in the petrochemical plants in Mahshahr and Tabrize are also among the recent achievements by the Iranian labor movement. But, as a whole, the labor as well as other social movements in Iran are suppressed, vehemently, by the regime and hundreds of activist who are involved on their behalf, among them: Ali Nejati, reza Shehabi, Abdolreza Ghanbari and Nasrin Sotoudeh are imprisoned, tortured and some may even be executed. We ask of all concerned internationalist labor and pro-justice activists to help us raise voices of the working people and all those involved in the campaign for freedom, democracy and economic justice in Iran who struggle for legitimate democratic rights such as:

Freedom of expression and self-organization
Access to secure jobs with social benefits
Recognition of the human rights for all, including workers, women and religious/national minorities
Release of all political prisoners(Labor Start Act Now website is helpful)
Condemnation of start of yet another devastating war and its internal and external advocators

Long live May 1st, a day for celebration of international solidarity among the workers of the world

Committee for Support of Iranian people’s struggle-Chicago

Csips_ch@yahoo.com