On November 28th retired workers of the Haft Tappeh Sugar Cane complex protested outside the company’s entrance, demanding payment of their end of service compensation. Continue reading
Posted in Workers' struggles
On the morning of November 15th workers protested outside the Iranian regime’s phoney ‘parliament’ against Labour Law ‘reforms’, the expansion of Free and Special Economic Zones and changes in the Social Security Organisation’s health care fund.
Posted in Labour Code, Workers' struggles
Faced with a resurgent working class the Iranian regime is preparing itself for class war. Recently “defenders of the sanctum exercises” – which are war games for the regime’s interior security organisations like the Pasdaran and Basij – have taken places in various counties and provinces of the country. Continue reading
Posted in Repression
The British Iranian Chamber of Commerce (BICC) has stepped up its activities following the EU membership referendum in June. The Tory government’s push for closer economic relations beyond the EU has meant that dictatorships like the Iranian regime have now become priority countries for trade and investment by British capitalists.
Posted in Campaign
Further to our posting last month on the six year sentence imposed on teacher- trade unionist Esmail Abdi, Labour Start have issued an online petition which we would urge all to sign. Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
The Campaign was officially launched last week on 20 October in London. The meeting, held at the Head Quarters of the National Union of Teachers heard contributions from a number of speakers from the labour and trade union movement and included veteran Human Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.
Posted in Uncategorized
At the launch of the Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign on October 20th 2016 part of a video clip on Shahrokh Zamani’s life and activities was played. Here is the full video and some notes in English explaining the contents. The video clip was made by Workers’ Action Committee activists in Iran.
On October 20th the Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign was formally launched. We will have a full report soon.
Posted in Campaign
Branch 36 of the Tehran Appeals Court has approved the six-year sentence of Esmail Abdi, General Secretary of the Teachers’ Trade Association (TTA).
Continue reading
Posted in Political prisoners, Workers' struggles
Since the nuclear deal was signed in July 2015 the fortunes of Iran’s capitalists and the regime’s functionaries have taken off. But all that the workers have seen is the growing gap between them and the rich. Workers are finding the influx of luxury cars and goods hard to bear when their children are going hungry! Inevitably workers’ protests and strikes have grown steadily in recent months.
To keep the legitimate demands and protests of workers (as well as women, national and religious minorities, the youth, the disabled, LGBTQ people, writers, artists and the vast majority of the population) under control state repression has been stepped up. E.g., protests against layoffs at Agh Darreh ended with 17 gold miners being flogged (https://shahrokhzamani.com/2016/06/04/agh-darreh17/)!
The Iranian regime considers those who organise labour organisations, illegal May Day celebrations and similar activities as having “endangered national security”. These activists are thrown into medieval dungeons, where torture and other types of abuse are routinely used to cow them. And those who are defiant even in jail, like Shahrokh Zamani, a painter who tried to organise an independent trade union, can end up dead. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/sep/19/shahrokh-zamanis-death-in-an-iranian-prison-must-be-investigated).
International solidarity can help Iranian workers realise all their economic and political demands more quickly. There is now an urgent need for an effective solidarity movement that can support Iranian workers in their struggles. Help us build this solidarity movement. Support and publicise the launch meeting of the Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign.
7pm – 9pm – 20 October – Hamilton House (NUT), Mabledon Place, London
Speakers confirmed:
Morad Shirin- Iranian Workers’ Solidarity Network.
Peter Tatchell- Human rights campaigner.
Rhea Wolfson- Labour Party NEC member and GMB activist.
Rida Vaquas – Young Labour.
Henry Chango Lopez- President, IWGB Union.
Speakers in personal capacity unless otherwise stated.
Posted in Uncategorized
Khuzestan Vanguard Socialist Workers’ Cell. Organiser: Comrade Martin.
Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign 