Message of British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), to the online conference on the eve of May day
Message by Eric Lee, founding Editor of LabourStart
Message of British Columbia General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), to the online conference on the eve of May day
Message by Eric Lee, founding Editor of LabourStart
– May Day, the International Workers’ Day, arrived in the midst of the woman-life-freedom revolution, carrying the colors of the revolution.
– Thousands of contract workers in the oil, gas, and steel industries continue their strikes, declaring that they honor International Workers’ Day with their strikes in the face of threats of layoffs and the hiring of new workers instead of striking workers. Their immediate demands include a 79% increase in wages, a 20-day work period, and a 10-day rest period.
– In continuation of the strikes in the oil industry, on May 5th, contract workers employed by Ayrik Sanaat Company in protest of the lack of wage increase for the year 2023 joined the nationwide strike of contract workers.
– Retirees from the Social Security Organization have announced nationwide gatherings for the seventeenth of Ordibehesht (May 7th) as part of their ongoing protests against poverty, high prices, and the minimal wage increases. On May Day, these workers gathered in several cities as part of their previous call. They marched in Ahvaz, Shush, and Kerman. In Ahvaz, they carried a big banner in commemoration of International Workers’ Day at the front of the rally, creating a brilliant scene of protest. Their demands include a wage increase above the 25 million toman a month ($500) which is so called cost basket, free healthcare, and an end to embezzlements. Retirees from the Social Security Organization have held gatherings in various cities from the 10th to the 14th of Ordibehesht (April 30th to May 4th ). In Shush city, Ali Nejati, a well-known member of the board of directors for labour syndicate of Haft-Tappeh sugarcane factories, was the first speaker at the retirees’ gathering in May Day.
– The Coordination Council of Teachers’ Associations has called for nationwide gatherings in all cities on the nineteenth of Ordibehesht (May 9th) in protest of the government’s chemical attacks on schools, arrests, and to pursue their demands for freedom of their imprisoned colleagues. There were murmurs about organizing International Workers’ Day among teachers, which led to the government arresting and summoning some teachers. Some teachers were arrested during a meeting with the family of Mohammad Habibi, a teacher who is currently in prison. Nine of them, namely Reyhaneh Ansarinejad, Anisha Asadollahi, Zhaleh Rouhzadeh, Asal Mohammadi, Soroosh Ahmad, Hirad Pirbodaghi, Kamyar Fakour, Hassan Ebrahimi, and Oldouz Hashemi, are still in prison. The Coordination Council of Teachers’ Associations expressed their support for the revolution by launching a Twitter storm with the hashtag #اعتصاب_انقلاب.
– On May day, the Yazd Tire workers gathered for the third day to protest against poor living conditions, poverty, and lack of job security. The nurses and medical staff at Imam Sajjad Hospital in Shahriar also gathered to protest against inadequate wages and unfair nursing tariffs.
– The state run “Workers’ house” held a ceremony on May 4th in Isfahan for International Workers’ Day. However, angry workers disrupted the ceremony and took control of the program, chanting slogans such as “Our demand is fair wages according to inflation” and “Our expenses are in dollars, but our wages are in rials,” and so on. A brave woman, went up to the scene and forcefully grabbed the microphone from the program host and, by shouting protest slogans and rallying the workers present in the hall, turned the government ceremony into a scene of their own protest.
– May 1st, International Workers’ Day was celebrated in various cities of Kurdistan in different forms. The Construction Workers’ Union in Kamyaran honored this day.
– 48 organizations, including students, activists, and social activists, issued a call for nationwide strikes and protests on the occasion of International Workers’ Day, which received a widespread response. Starting three nights earlier, anti-government slogans were chanted in various cities, and on the first of May, protest slogans continued in many neighborhoods in Tehran, Karaj, Isfahan, and other cities. In some neighborhoods in Tehran, people closed the streets as a sign of protest, while in neighborhoods such as Sattar Khan, Sadeghieh, Tehranpars in Tehran, and some areas in Karaj and Isfahan, marches with anti-government slogans took place.
– On the occasion of International Workers’ Day, numerous resolutions were issued by various labor organizations and social institutions. One resolution had the signatures of fifteen organizations underneath it. Supporting strikes in the oil industry, emphasizing nationwide strikes, protesting against suppression and executions, and demanding minimum rights were the main themes of many of these resolutions, including the resolution signed by fifteen organizations.
– In Nishekar-e Haft Tapeh (sugarcane factories), workers distributed sweets from the early morning to celebrate International Workers’ Day. However, later, under the scheme of Naseri, the company’s management, two representatives of the workers, Yousef Bahmani and Ebrahim Abbasi, were attacked by the security forces, and in protest against this oppressive act, the workers of Nishekar-e Haft Tapeh gathered.
– On Wednesday, 12th of Ordibehesht 1402 (May 2nd ), retired telecommunication workers gathered in front of the Ministry of Communications in Tehran and in front of the telecommunications office buildings in other cities to protest their living conditions, employment conditions, and the non-payment of some of their job and healthcare related demands. These gatherings took place in cities such as Sanandaj, Ahvaz, Kermanshah, Arak, Qazvin, Khorramabad, Shahrekord, Isfahan, Hormozgan, Zahedan, Shiraz, and Tehran. In Ahvaz, retired workers held gatherings and marches.
– Reza Shahabi and Hassan Saeedi, two members of the executive board of the Syndicate of Workers of the United Bus Company, and Keyvan Mehamedi, a member of the Writers’ Association, were sentenced to five years in prison. Sepideh Gholiyan, a labor rights activist, was sentenced to an additional two years in prison. She was arrested during the protests of the workers of Nishekar-e Haft Tapeh in 2018 and was released under pressure from the current Revolution after 4 years and 7 months of imprisonment on 24th of Esfand (March 15th). However, she was rearrested the next day and charged for shouting the slogan: “Khamenei, you are a murderer, we will bury you!” and not wearing a mandatory headscarf. She stated that the Islamic Republic’s kangaroo court, whose head has signed the execution orders of revolutionaries, lacks legitimacy.
Long live May Day, the International Workers Day
May Day is the day of workers’ international unity, and of the solidarity of all workers around the world. We the workers, celebrate this day by emphasizing liberation from the exploitation and oppression of capitalists and capitalist states.
May Day this year in Iran has a special meaning and place in the context of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” revolution. The Islamic regime, since the beginning of its rule, has opposed brutally the celebration of May Day. It has arrested and imprisoned a large number of workers in this regard. But the workers have kept this day alive and full of strength with their determination and unity, and every year they celebrate May Day in different ways. This year, May Day is a day to continue the revolution and to get rid of the Islamic regime.
One important aspect of the revolution in Iran is the fight against poverty, high prices and lack of social security. This year the Islamic regime has determined the basic salary of workers at around 5 million tomans per month (around $100). As the Iranian Rial is constantly losing its value, the purchasing power of workers, teachers, retirees and all people is constantly and sharply decreasing. This is a big problem for the people in Iran.
Also, the struggle for the release of all political prisoners is a continuous part of the struggle of workers and people against the Islamic government. In the first few months of the revolution, tens of thousands of people were arrested and more than 500 people were killed by straight bullet shots, by the regime forces.
Hence May Day is a day to continue the revolution, a day to get rid of poverty and insecurity, and a day to free all workers, teachers, women, students and all political prisoners. The Islamic regime must go. All the people are counting the days and fighting and trying to get rid of this barbaric regime. The oppression and crimes should be swept away. All prisoners must be released. Executions must be stopped.
Today, the workers and people of Iran need more than ever the global support of unions and labour organizations. One form of this support is pushing for the release of imprisoned workers, imprisoned teachers, revolution detainees and all political prisoners without bail or conditions. Free Them Now is a campaign for the release of all imprisoned workers and political prisoners, and we ask all the unions and humanitarian institutions to join this campaign.
The crimes committed by the Islamic regime against the people, including the execution of children and rape of prisoners and thousands of other forms of violation of people’s rights, are crimes against humanity. The world should not remain silent in the face of these aggressions. Just as the racial apartheid regime in South Africa was boycotted and isolated, the gender apartheid regime in Iran should also be isolated and boycotted. One step in this direction is the expulsion of Islamic regime’s representatives from ILO. We expect all unions around the world to put this goal on their agenda.
For its part, FTN expresses and declares its support for the struggles of workers in all corners of the world, especially the workers in France, who are so bravely fighting the aggressions of the government and capitalists.
Long live May Day, International Workers Day
FREE THEM NOW!
May Day is the day of a social class that produces everything in the society but is the most deprived section of the society. We workers celebrate this day by emphasizing liberation from the exploitation and oppression of capitalism.
1 May this year begins in Iran at a time when there is a fierce battle over life and livelihood between majority of people and the Islamic regime. The government is trying to put the burden of the crisis and its bankrupt economy on the shoulders of the people. This situation has left the people with an unprecedented inflation shock. But the people and specially the workers are not the silent and desperate victims of this system and the parasite rulers.
The various sections of the workers and social movements are more organized, more determined, and with clear and national demands, more and more are entering the arena of battle with the ruling system. From the very beginning of the year in Iran, teachers, oil workers, retirees, farmers, and truck drivers have staged nationwide protests, protesting against skyrocketing prices, poverty, insecurity, and hunger, and against government repression and the violation of the most basic human rights of the people.
Along with all these social movements, the women’s liberation movement has taken an active part in protesting against the ruling sexual apartheid.
The government, which finds itself under siege by workers’ protests and the social protests, is trying to counter them by repression, arrests and prison sentences. Among them, the security pressures on teachers, whose struggles has created a widespread movement in many cities, has been intensified.
Hence, defending the teachers and their struggles and protesting against government repression has now become an important campaign of struggle on the eve of International Workers’ Day.
Thus, International Workers’ Day has become more and more the day of protest of all workers and all sections of the people in Iran against the ruling elite.
Free Them Now (FTN) tries to be the voice of these protests around the world.
Many labor activists, teachers, children’s rights activists, and labor rights activists in Iran are currently in prison. We, along with all workers and people in Iran, strongly protest the Islamic regime’s aggression and repression.
No one should be arrested or imprisoned for their beliefs, organizations and struggles for their rights. In particular no worker should be imprisoned for defending his or her life and livelihood. Ismail Abdi, a well-known teacher, Shapur Ehsani Rad, a well-known labor activist, Sepideh Qolyan a well-known supporter of the workers and many political prisoners have been sentenced to years in prison for defending human rights. We will not give up for a moment the struggle for the release of imprisoned workers, imprisoned teachers and all political prisoners against this savage capitalist regime.
In this regard, one of FTN’s emphasises is the global boycott of this regime of repression, crime and inhumanity in the world. The Islamic regime of Iran, with a 44-year record of trampling on human rights, workers’ rights and violations of women’s rights, should have no place in the ILO and is by no means the representative of the Iranian people but their killer.
Free Them Now, the campaign to free jailed workers in Iran, once again greets you all workers and the people on the International Workers’ Day, and wishes all workers and all human rights organizations a successful year.
Long live May Day!
FREE THEM NOW (FTN)
April 21 , 2022
گرامی باد اول مه روز جهانی کارگر!
اول مه روز طبقه ای است که کار میکند، همه چیز را تولید میکند اما محرومترین بخش جامعه است. این روز را ما کارگران با تاکید بر رهایی از استثمار و ستم سرمایه داری گرامی میداریم.
اول ماه مه امسال در ایران در شرایطی آغاز میشود که نبردی سخت بر سر زندگی و معاش در ایران در جریان است. حکومت تلاش دارد بار بحران و بن بست اقتصاد ورشکسته خود را بر سر مردم خراب کند. این وضعیت مردم بی تامین جامعه را با یک شوک تورمی بیسابقه روبرو کرده است. اما کارگران قربانیان ساکت و مستاصل این نظام و حاکمین مفتخور نیستند.
بخش های مختلف کارگری و جنبش های اجتماعی متشکل تر، سازمانیافته تر و با خواستهای سراسری دارند هر روز گسترده تر وارد عرصه نبرد با سیستم جهنمی حاکم میشوند. از جمله از همین آغاز سال در ایران معلمان، کارگران نفت، بازنشستگان، کشاورزان، رانندگان کامیون استارت اعتراضات سراسری خود را زده اند و اعتراضات علیه افزایش سرسام آور قیمت ها و فقر و بی تامینی و گرسنگی و علیه سرکوبگری های حکومت و زیر پا گذاشته شدن پایه ای ترین حقوق انسانی مردم، هر روزه گسترده تر میشود. درکنار همه این تحرکات اجتماعی جنبش رهایی بخش زن در اعتراض به آپارتاید جنسی حاکم فعالانه به میدان آمده است.
حکومت که خود را در محاصره اعتراضات کارگری و اعتراضات کل مردم می بیند، با سرکوب و دستگیری و احکام زندان میکوشد مقابله کند. از جمله فشار امنیتی بر روی معلمان که گستردگی مبارزاتشان تحرک گسترده ای در شهرهای مختلف ایران ایجاد کرده ، شدت یافته است. از همین رو دفاع از معلمان و مبارزاتشان و اعتراض به سرکوبگری های حکومت هم اکنون به یک کارزار مهم مبارزاتی در آستانه روز جهانی کارگر تبدیل شده است.
این چنین است که روز جهانی کارگر بیش از بیش به روز اعتراض همه کارگران و همه بخش های مردمی در ایران علیه بساط سرمایه داری وحشی حاکم تبدیل شده است. کمپین برای آزادی کارگران زندانی تلاش میکند صدای رسای این اعتراضات در سطح جهان باشد.
هم اکنون بسیاری از فعالان کارگری، معلمان ، مدافعین حقوق کودکان و فعالان حقوق کارگری در ایران در زندان ها هستند. ما، همراه با همه کارگران و مردم در ایران، به شدت به تعرضات رژیم اسلامی و سرکوبگری های آن اعتراض داریم.
هیچ کس نباید بخاطر عقیده، تشکل و مبارزه برای دستیابی به حقوق خود دستگیر یا زندانی شود. به ویژه هیچ کارگری نباید به دلیل دفاع از زندگی و حقوق خود در به زندان انداخته نشود. اسماعیل عبدی معلم شناخته شده، شاپور احسانی راد فعال شناخته شده کارگری، سپیده قلیان و تک تک زندانیان سیاسی به خاطر دفاع از حقوق انسانی به سالها زندان محکوم شده اند. ما لحظه ای از مبارزه برای آزادی کارگران زندانی، معلمان دربند و همه زندانیان سیاسی با این رژیم وحشی سرمایه داری دست بر نخواهیم داشت.
در همین راستا یک تاکید فری دم ناو بر بایکوت جهانی جمهوری اسلامی این رژیم سرکوب و جنایت و ضد بشری در سطح جهان است. جمهوری اسلامی اسلامی با کارنامه ۴۴ سال پایمال کردن حقوق انسانی، حقوق کارگران و نقض حقوق زنان نباید جایی در (آی ال او) داشته باشد و بهیچ وجه نماینده مردم ایران نیست بلکه قاتل آنها است.
فری دم ناو، کمپین برای آزادی کارگران زندانی، یک بار دیگر روز جهانی کارگر را به همه شما کارگران و مردم شادباش می گوید و برای همه کارگران و تمام سازمان های مدافع حقوق انسانی سالی سرشار از موفقیت آرزو میکند.
کمپین برای آزادی کارگران زندانی ((FREE THEM NOW!
۳۱ فروردین ۱۴۰۱، ۲۰ آوریل ۲۰۲۲
پیام استفانی اسمیت رئیس اتحادیه کارگران دولتی و خدماتی بریتیش کلمبیا به مناسبت روز جهانی کارگر در همبستگی با کارگران ایران
استفانی اسمیت در این پیام همصدایی خود را با فری دم ناو در مبارزه برای آزادی کارگران زندانی، فعالین سیاسی، فعالین محیط زیست و رهبران کارگری مثل جعفر عظیم زاده و معلمان دربند اعلام کرده و اعدام ها در ایران محکوم میکند. او خواهان لغو مجازات اعدام میشود و بدینگونه به مناسبت روز جهانی کارگر همبستگی خود را با کمپین برای آزادی کارگران زندانی اعللام میدارد. متن کامل پیام او را در زیر میخوانید:
متن کامل پیام استفانی اسمیت رئیس اتحادیه کارگران دولتی و خدماتی بریتیش کلمبیا به مناسبت روز جهانی کارگر
با درود من استفانی اسمیت رئیس اتحادیه کارگران دولتی و خدماتی بریتیش کلمبیا در کانادا هستم. امروز در اول مه پیام همبستگی خود را از جانب هشتاد هزار اعضای این اتحادیه اعلام میکنم. ما در کنار کارگران ایران هستیم و حمایت و همبستگی خود را با کارگران و بیکاران و بازنشستگان در ایران که برای دستمزدهای ابتدایی خود مبارزه میکنند، اعلام میکنیم. کانادا نیز بی عیب نیست اما ما اما این خوشبختی را داشته ایم که تصمیمات درستی دولت هم در مورد ایمنی کارگران و هم در مورد حمایت و ساپورت مالی کسانی که در این پاندمی جهانی لطمه دیده اند گرفته است. ما اینجا با جریاناتی هم صدا میشویم که برای آزادی کارگران زندانی، فعالین سیاسی ، فعالین حقوق انسانی، فعالین محیط زیست و رهبران کارگری مثل جعفر عظیم زاده و نمایندگان کانون صنفی معلمان مبارزه میکنند. ما شدیدا اعدامها در ایران توسط حکومت ایران را محکوم میکنیم. مجازات اعدام باید متوقف شود. امروز در روز جهانی کارگر و در همه روزها اتحادیه بریتیش کلمبیا در کنار کارگران ایران ایستاده است. زنده باد اول مه!
کمپین برای آزادی کارگران زندانی
https://free-them-now.com/
shahla.daneshfar2@gmail.com
اول ماه مه ٢٠٢٠
Solidarity messages with imprisoned workers in Iran
Happy May1st
To all the workers and comrades from all organisations across the world
Please accept our warmest greetings on the eve of May Day which is the day of world working class indictment against capitalism that with its profit mongering has turned the world to a mess and barbarity.
Now that we are on the middle of a decisive battle with the ruling capital in Iran, our victory depends on the active and passionate support of you comrades all around the world.
On the eve of the day of international solidarity of the working class, along with the celebration of our deep class ties with the workers of the world, we stress on the fact that the final battle for claiming our rights namely welfare, happiness and freedom and rule of councils is in progress and the victory depends on our international solidarity.
Victory is ours!
May1 2019
Signed by:
Association of electronic and metal workers of Kermanshah city
Alborz painters syndicate
Follow up committee
Committee to follow up workers’ organisations in Iran
The council of pensioners of Iran
The council of employed and unemployed workers
A group of workers of Iran Khodrow (car manufacturing)
A group of workers of Pars Khodrow (car manufacturing)
A group of activists against child labour
پیام هشت تشکل و جمع کارگری در شادباش روز جهانی کارگر به تمامی تشکلها و سازمانهای کارگری و مدافع حقوق کارگر در سراسر جهان
زنده باد اول ماه مه، زنده باد روز جهانی کارگر
١ می گرامی باد
به کارگران و همرزمان در تشکلها و سازمانهای کارگری و مدافع حقوق کارگر در سراسر جهان.
گرمترین درودها و تهنیت های ما کارگران ایران را به مناسبت 1 می، روز اعلام کیفرخواست بین المللی طبقه کارگر علیه نظام سرمایهداری که بر سودپرستی، دنیای بشریت مدرن را به منجلابی از بربریت و توحش تبدیل کرده است، تقدیم شما می کنیم.
اکنون که ما کارگران ایران در اوج نبرد سرنوشت ساز با سرمایهداری حاکم بر ایران هستیم، یادآور می شویم که پیروزی ما در گرو حمایت های پر شور بیش از پیش شما رفقا در سراسر جهان است.
ما در آستانه روز جهانی کارگر، ضمن گرامیداشت پیوند طبقاتی و تاریخیمان با تمامی هم سرنوشتیان در سراسر جهان، مجددا یادآور می گردیم که نبرد نهایی برای احقاق حقوقمان «رفاه، شادی، آزادی، اداره شورایی» در راه است و پیروزی در گرو اتحاد بین المللی ما.
پیروزی از آن ماست.
1 می 2019
انجمن صنفی کارگران برق و فلزکار کرمانشاه
سندیکای نقاشان البرز
شورای بازنشستگان ایران
شورای کارگران شاغل و بیکار
کمیته پیگیری ایجاد تشکلهای کارگری ایران
جمعی از کارگران ایران خودرو
جمعی از کارگران پارس خودرو
جمعی از فعالان لغو کار کودکان
برگرفته از گروه تلگرام انجمن صنفی برق و فلزکار کرمانشاه