Iranian Sugar Workers' Union Needs Your Support

international | worker & community struggles and protests | news report

Monday February 23, 2009 10:42

by pat c

In southern Iran an independent workers union is defending a legal case taken against them by the Revolutionary Court and they need your support.

In June 2008, 5,000 workers at the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Plantation and Industry Company in the city of Shush formed an independent trade union following a 46-day strike. Official organizations created by the government (Workers House and Islamic Labour Council) have for years utterly failed to protect the workers and their conditions. The Haft Tapeh workers have had to resort to repeated strike action to fight for their basic rights, including regular payment of wages.

The strike began when thousands of workers from every section of the plant downed tools to protest after not being paid for two months. A petition to the provincial labour department with thousands of signatures triggered mass arrests and repeated attacks by police, security forces and Revolutionary Guards. A mass demonstration on 16 June by workers and their families ending at an assembly which elected officers of an independent trade union. The Haft Tapeh union is now a member of the The International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF).

Now the Iranian government is trying to crush the union through lengthy prison sentences for 5 elected leaders, charged with acting against "national security" in connection with last year's strike and the formation of the union. The five leaders are Ali Nejati, President, Feridoun Nikoufard, Vice President, Mohammed Heydari Mehr, Representative for Industry Affairs, Ghorban Alipour, Secretary, and Jalil Ahmadi, Member of the union executive committee.

The 5 elected union leaders were charged with acting against national security on 20 December, 2008 and .The IUF and unions worldwide have condemned these charges as groundless and called on the government to immediately and unconditionally drop the charges.. Other independent union leaders in Iran, including Mansour Osanloo and Ebrahim Madadi of the Tehran Bus Union, have been imprisoned on similar charges.

The verdict was scheduled to be delivered on February 17, in a typically despotic and arbitrary manner by the court - the prosecutor did not even bother to appear before the judge nor present serious "evidence". However, the determination of the union leaders and their lawyer turned what was scheduled to have been a perfunctory sentencing into a five hour debate whose only conclusion was to continue the hearing.

Additional pressure is urgently needed to get the authorities to unconditionally drop all charges. Send a message to the Iranian state and judicial authorities, calling on them to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against the Haft Tapeh union leaders:

Supreme Leader:
Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei
Office of the Supreme Leader
Islamic Republic Street
Shahid Keshvar Doust Street
Tehran, Iran
Email: info@leader.ir

President
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
The Presidency, Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
Email: dr-ahmadinejad@president.ir
via website: www.president.ir/email

The Head of the Judiciary:
Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi
Office of the Head of the Judiciary
Pasteur St.,Vali Asr Ave.,
South of Serah-e Jomhouri,
Tehran, Iran
Email: info@dadgostary-tehran.ir

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Comments (2 of 2)

if Iran had any sense it would treat it's workers fairly

by maverick - the rock that doesn't roll

Tue Feb 24, 2009 10:13

if Iran had any sense it would treat it's workers fairly. spreading their faith & generally hating the west is one thing; lifting up their poor citizens might be a better use of energy & resources.

Iran has 12 million people living below the poverty line, six million of whom are not supported by any foundation or organization.

Although Iranian workers have, in theory, a right to form labour unions, there is, in actuality, no union system in the country. The right of workers to strike is generally not respected by the state, and since 1979 strikes have often been met by police action.

Iran's economy also has to contend with Bonyads. these are controversial charitable trusts in Iran that dominate Iran's non-petroleum economy, controlling an estimated 20% of Iran's GDP.

Bonyad companies also compete with Iran's unprotected private sector, whose firms complain of the difficulty of competing with bonyad firms whose political connections provide government permits and subsidies which eliminate worries over the need to make a profit in many market sectors. These Bonyads, by their very presence, hamper healthy economic competition, efficient use of capital and other resources, and growth.

a bit like the big tent at the Galway races, lads.....but let's hope they have their own Persian version of Larkin or Connolly

Leaders of Haft Tapeh Workers’ Union arrested, Activists fear more arrests!

Tue Mar 03, 2009 15:36

Ali Nedjati, president of the executive committee of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company Workers’ Union, and Reza Rakhshan, the Public Relations director of the Union were arrested on February 28, 2009. Reza was summoned to the intelligence office on February 28th office and was immediately arrested upon his arrival. Later his home was raided by security forces and his belongings including some personal items and others that belonged to the Union as well as books and computer were confiscated.

A few hours later, intelligence agents raided Ali Nedjati’s house and arrested him. Rahim Boshagh, a member of the Union executive committee was arrested on February 22, 2009 and he is still incarcerated.

Union activists fears more arrests in next few days. These attacks are part of the government crack down on labour activists in Iran. In particular, Haft Tapeh Workers’ Union has been very active amongst workers, as the result of which workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company refused to participate in the Islamic labour council’s election in the company.

The Islamic Labour Council is a government-sponsored and pro-employer instrument for controlling and repressing independent labour activities in the company. According to the Collaborating Council of Labour Organizations and Activists in Iran, in total only about 30 employees took part in the Islamic labour council’s election on February 22, 2009 despite more than five thousands employees in the company. That was considered a complete defeat of these repressive forces.

In addition five members of the board of directors of the Haft Tapeh Workers’ Syndicate, including Mr. Nedjati, were put on trial on February 17th and 23rd and were waiting for their verdict. Most arrested and persecuted workers have been charged with "acting against national security", which is an allegation used frequently by the Islamic Republic of Iran against labour and social activists.

Sources: LabourStart, IUF.

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Iranian Sugar Workers' Union Needs Your Support

Comments (2 of 2)