During the recent months, the Islamic
Republic and Hassan Rouhani’s government, have increased pressure on the
labor-union activists and the Iranian workers’ existing labor-union movement in
general.
Since forming of the government
and selecting Rabieih as Minster of Labor, a specific and calculated policy is
being implemented against the working class and toilers. Rabieih, who was a
leading member of the Workers’ House organization, affiliated with the
government, and as a member of the security forces has a history of fight
against workers’ syndicates, consistently works toward engineering of the
workers’ protests and preventing formation of real workers’ syndicates,
syndicates based on correct class nature. With the assistance of organizations
such as the Center for Islamic Labor Council and other fraudulent organizations,
the government’s and Ministry of Labor’s goal on this issue, is control of the
workers’ labor-union movement and prevention of its becoming an effective force
in the struggle against Islamic Republic’s social-economical orientation. The
Islamic Republic’s strategy in the economic fields is completely clear; it is implementation
of the privatization and free-market economic programs based on the International
Monetary Fund’s and the World Bank’s prescriptions. Top regime leadership has
put restoration of relations with the west, USA and European Union, as its top
priority. For that reason, applying pressure on the labor and syndicate
movement is implemented as a multi-faceted plan. All Islamic Republic efforts
are directed at preventing restoration of the labor-union rights and inhibiting
reinforcement and strengthening of the labor-union movement in our country’s
social and political developments. It is exactly for that reason that workers
are being detained, tortured and imprisoned. Labor and syndicate activists are
fired from their jobs and are put under immense pressures. In fact the working
class and Iran ’s
existing labor-union movement are being prosecuted and oppressed, so that more
than ever, the Islamic Republic can strengthen its links with the international
capitalism. Iranian workers and labor-union activists, including the imprisoned
workers, are victims of the Rouhani government’s and Ali Khamaneeih’s
Resistive-Economic policy of privatization and attracting and drawing of the imperialist
monopoly capital. Islamic Republic, with the assistance of its reactionary and
sham so called labor organizations, tries to control and manage the increasing
workers and toilers’ protests against privatization and economic deregulation;
and prevent its escalation into a strong, all inclusive and encompassing
movement. With implementation of the imperialist organizations’, especially the
International Monetary Fund’s and the World Bank’s dictated policies, currently
in our country, all workers’ obvious labor-union rights are crushed and stepped
on. Our country’s workers and toilers are denied of the most effective weapon
in the labor’s struggle, the right to strike, Based on the Islamic Republic
laws, the right to organize syndicates, is being crushed and trampled.
Privatization and attracting and drawing of the imperialist monopolies, under
the label of “flexible market”, have caused destruction of the millions or
Iranian workers’ job security. Expansion of the temporary-contracts, are results
of the Islamic Republic’s economic policies.
Based on what was indicated, one
can understand the reason for oppression, prosecution and engineering of the
workers’ protest movement. The imprisoned workers, are kept in prison, only and
only for their labor-union activities and defending of the workers’ rights.
With all its ability, the workers’ existing labor-union movement, struggles,
and has struggled for freedom of the imprisoned workers and labor-union
activists. This is a struggle against exploitation and profiteering, against
privatization and for securing working class’s and toilers’ immediate and
future interests.
