Quote of the week
by Scoop Shachtman, 5 March 2008
“Hero’s not a word I like. Heroes are the guys out there fighting for their country in Iraq and Afghanistan.”
Free Osanloo
by hakmao, 5 March 2008
Mention the repression of trade unionists by the heavy hand of the Iranian state, and the chances are you will be accused of ‘beating the drums of war’ for a US nuclear attack on Iran, or being a tool of Zionism, such is the degeneracy of political discourse in the early twenty first century. Bollocks to that. Tomorrow, 6 March is a global action day for Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi, prisoners of the Iranian theocracy. Support freedom of association and freedom of assembly. Support independent trade unions.
Message of solidarity with the Iranian workers
Thousands of workers and citizens are raising their voices today worldwide. We want Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi out of jail immediately and unconditionally. We want workers’ rights respected in Iran without any delay. Organised by the ITUC and ITF with the full support of Amnesty International, many events are taking place simultaneously around the world to back our demands.
In Wellington, Sydney, Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, Jakarta, New Delhi, Istanbul, Basra, Amman, the West Bank, Tunis, Casablanca, Geneva, Brussels, Oslo, London and Toronto, actions are confirmed and many will visit the Iranian missions with our message, that the Iranian authorities cannot obstruct the genuine workers’ movement and jail these unionists for their activities. We regret the charges set against them. They are not a threat to the national security. Worse still, their health conditions are deteriorating.
The ILO’s Freedom of Association Committee report from June 2007 stresses that the Iranian government must take “all measures to ensure that trade unions can be formed and function without hindrance, including through the de facto recognition of the union”.
In building-up to the International Action Day, the ITF’s inspectors in many countries have boarded Iranian vessels in their respective ports with our message. LabourStart has gathered 5,000 signatures on an online petition. Earlier in January, protest by the Indonesian trade unions forced its government to postpone a Presidential visit to Iran. Concerns are being raised in the national and European parliaments. Many organisations have sent their protest letters. Since Mansour Osanloo was brutally abducted 8 months ago, worldwide protests have not stopped. On 6 March, they will culminate into a mass global demonstration but this will not be the end.
Free Osanloo now!
Free Salehi now!
Respect the workers’ rights in Iran!Our message of solidarity with the Iranian workers is loud and clear. It will continue to resound until our objectives are achieved.
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)
Amnesty International
