Die Repression gegen Gewerkschaften im Iran ist Thema bei der ILO-Jahrestagung

Die alljährliche Konferenz der Internationalen Arbeitsorganisation, die am 30. Mai begonnen hat (und von der International Labor Conference gefolgt wird) befasst sich stets auch mit der Frage der Einhaltung der internationalen Normen durch verschiedene Regierungen. Im Falle des Iran hat das Kampagnen-Netzwerk „Free them now!“ und der dahinter stehende Zusammenschluss unabhängiger Gewerkschaften mit einem Offenen Brief an die TeilnehmerInnen „Iranian Independent Workers Organizations Message to 105th Session of the International Labor Conference , June 2016” vom 03. Juni 2016 die Kritik an den offiziellen Vertretern der Islamischen Republik Iran erneuert: Diese würden nicht nur die wahre Situation der ArbeiterInnen im Iran verschweigen, sondern gehörten im Gegenteil zu denen, die für diese Situation verantwortlich seien. In dem Brief werden auch die zahlreichen Urteile gegen Gewerkschaftsaktivisten im Iran dokumentiert und auf den seit dem 29. April organisierten Hungerstreik zweier Betroffener verwiesen: Jafar Azimzadeh, zu sechs Jahren Gefängnis verurteilt und der Lehrergewerkschafter Esmaieel Abdi. Weitere Fälle von Willkürurteilen werden ebenfalls ausführlich dokumentiert. Verantwortlich für den Brief sind die Free Union of Workers in Iran, die Guild association of electric and metal workers of Kermanshah, das Center of Labor Rights Defenders und das Committee to Establish Labor Unions.

Iranian Independent Workers Organizations Message to 105th Session of the International Labor Conference , June 2016

First of all we would like to express our gratitude for electing Mr. Mohammad Jarahi, Mr. Jafar Azimzadeh and Mr. Behnam Ebrahim Zadeh as representatives of Iranian independent workers organizations to 105th Session of the International Labor Conference. Unfortunately their attendance to this session is not possible

Since Jafar Azimzadeh is passing his 6 years sentence in prison from November 2015 and has been on hunger strike with Mr. Esmaieel Abdi an Iranian teachers activist from May 2016, demanding removal of security charges in the judicial files union activists. Mohammad Jarahi has been sentenced to 5 years imprisonment while is suffering from Thyroid Cancer. He has been in Tabriz Prison since 2011 without leave. Behnam Ebrahimzadeh is also been sentenced for further 9 years while he was passing the last year of his previous imprisonment.

We start our message with this question:

Considering long term objection of Iranian Independent Workers activists and organizations, why are there still people from state owned and elected institutions like Worker’s House, Supreme Council of workers‘ organization, ICEA associations and Islamic labor Council attending the ILO’s conference as the workers representatives!! whom are not only been rightly selected by Iranian labors but are state formed organizations that have been directly and publicly active in suppressing and diverting the Iranian workers struggle? Hence, Iranian workers and independent workers organizations not only recognize them as our representatives but also according to article 2 of ILO’s Articles of Association that insists on the independence of workers organizations, we hereby request their dismissal and an end to condescension policies with these untruthful worker’s representatives.

In the past year the condition of workers in Iran has not only been improved, but more and further restrictions are imposed upon the labors and their independent organizations activities. This is while the state owned and operated organizations are freely active in cooperating with the security force to detect and inform about active workers, direct participation in the suppression of worker’s protests,

Launching fake pre instructed demonstrations and marches in support of sectors of those in power, publicizing and advocating racist propaganda against Afghan migrants‘ workers especially in Labor Day, collusion with the representatives of the employers and government to impose  minimum wages of four to five times under poverty line.

The Iranian governments despite the singed protocols of ILO compelling the free act of creating independent workers organizations and nondependent to governments and state are still vigorously suppressing all nondependent organizations. Only within the past year dozens of arrests, trials, prosecutions and imprisonment of labor activists is registered. Most charges of these labor and union activists are announced as acting against national security and propaganda against the system while in fact their real crime is defending the workers‘ rights. Most of these detainees are under extreme pressure of prison abuse and violence. Last year Shahrokh Zamani a member of founding Syndicate of Building Painters and member of the committee of the Council of representatives to establish independent Labor Organizations passed away of unknown and unrevealed reason. Mahmod Salehi a member of Syndicate of Bakery Workers in Sanandaj and a member of Coordinating Committee to help establishing Workers Independent Organizations due to lack of medical treatment and preventing essential medicines has lost his kidneys and is now forced to dialysis. At the moment he is released on bail.

Few other cases of suppression are notified as below:

Detained and 6 years imprisonment for Jafar Azimzadeh, 3 and half years Jail sentence for Gamil Mohamadi and arrest of Shahpour Ehsani Rad (all three are members of Free Union of Iranian Labors), arrest of Ebrahim Madadi, 5 years jal sentence for Davod Razavi, One More year of jail for Reza Shahabi (All members of board of Tehran and Suburb Bus Drivers Syndicate),9 years of jail sentence for  Mahmod Salehi a member of Syndicate of Bakery Workers in Sanandaj and a member of Coordinating Committee to help establishing Workers Independent Organizations, arrest and free on bail of Ali Nejati member of board of directors of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Workers‘ Syndicate, arrest and free on bail of Valeh Zamani member of Alborz Painters Syndicate, arrest of Jalil Mohamadi labor activist on March 2016, arrest of lotfolah Ahmadi, Nader Reza Gholi and Hossein Hassan Abadi on this year’s May Dayin Sanandaj City,arrest of Hossien Azar Gashsb Teacher and member of Society for defending Children  of Work and Street and Seyd Rasol Taeb Zadeh and Naser Moharam Zadeh members of Bus Drivers Syndicate on May Day Tehran 2016.Summons of Seyd Jalal Hossieni, Seyd Anvar Moatar Labor activists , Rahman Kardar, Hossein Moradi and Abass Andaiyani members of  Coordinating Committee to help establishing Workers Independent Organizations, Khalil Karimi, Sheys Amani, Taeb Chatani and Mozafar Salehi Niya members of Free Union of Workers all arrested on the eve of International Labor day 2016.

In addition to these additional pressures for labors and independent organizations, state and governmental institutes push to impose their subservient organizations on Labors. Organizations that are formed without the will and free choice of labors and most of them are only formed on papers so as to gain legitimacy on international levels and ILO’s Conferences. As an example, while the atmosphere of

Car manufacturing factories is militarized and most of the Managers are members of military organs, the news of founding of car manufacturing workers union is published through state media. The majority of these unions are faked, under the supervision of House of Workers. The same goes for the women’s labor union which is a women section of House of Workers and …

The minimum wage announced last year is more than 4 times the poverty level (1000 $) figured and announced by government institutes. The impose of only 14 % increase on wages is so called to avoid inflation and under e pretext of lack of liquidity, but at the same time the wages of governmental managers increases by 50% while their income is 10 times more than the labors. These inequalities have caused the increase and expansion of poverty and misery of labors and their families. These economic pressures have created the increase of child labor in Iran. According to independent sources more than 7 million child labor with minimum wages are working in Iran.

Overdue Salaries continue to become a routine in production and industrial units in Iran. Wages and salaries of hundreds of thousands of labors are paid with a delay of months and even years. Due to this labors and their families are under great pressure and suffering and in case of demanding their overdue salaries after months there is the danger of arrestment, jail and being laid off.

The following is a list of the ways how the protesting labors in Iran have been dealt with:

Shooting the unemployed protesting workers in a village of Shahroiee of Behbahan city injuring 2 and killing one named Morteza Faraj Nia in November 2015. Arresting 10 labors in Phase 22/23/24 of Assaloyeh (special economic zone) in January 2016, released by giving commitment. Arrestment of 12 labors of Dorod Cement in January 2016. Arrestment of 28 laid off labors of Khaton Abad Copper on February2016. Arresting 10 labors of Meydok Copper Complex in Babak City Keman Provence in March 2016. Repeated Trials of 9 labors Bafgh Coal Mine in 2015 and 2016.It should be noted that all detained labors were temporary released on bail until trial.

Visible and hidden forms of discrimination against women labor, migrant labors, ethnic and religious minorities is sharply intensifying. State and governmental made institutes imposing themselves as labor representatives are leaders of racist thoughts against these minorities‘ especially Afghan migrants in Iran. These workers receive very lower wages than the minimum set wages and do not have any legal protection.

Topics and issues stated above are indicating parts of the real condition and situation of Iranian labors and activists. Realities opposite to the false claims of Iranian officials in

International communities based on observance of labor rights.  Considering these excessive abuses towards Iranian labors we insist on excluding state and government made and owned organization of Islamic labor Council, House of Labor and other anti-labor organizations in ILO Conference and also eliminating obstacles preventing the presence of real Iranian labor representatives.

Signed by the following Independent labor Organizations:

The Free Union of Workers in Iran
Guild association of electric and metel workers of Kermanshah
Center of Labor Rights Defenders
Committee to Establish Labor Unions