To all independent labor organizations

To all independent labor organizations throughout the world

Labor activists in Iran are in danger!

On 29^th of Bahman, February 17, 2009, five members of the board of directors of “Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Workers’ Syndicate,” were summoned to court. Next day, the lashing sentences against Ms. Sosaan Raazani, a member of “ Women’s Council,” and Ms. Shiva Khairabady a member of “ Coordinating Committee to help Form workers’ organizations, were carried out in Sanandaj. These women activists’ were “guilty” of participating in May First celebrations of last year. “Haft Tapeh,” activists are being prosecuted because of their strike and creation of an independent Syndicate; they’re to go back to court on February 23, 2009.

In the past few months tens of labor activists including: Mansor Osanloo, Ibrahim Madaddy, Afshin Shams, Pedrum Nasrollahi, Borhan Saiedi, Taha Azadi, Mohsen Hakimi, Bijan Amiri, …have been arrested, incarcerated, or are being pursued by the security forces. In addition, what we’ve witnessed in the past couple of months is a renewed campaign of intimidation towards all labor activists, which is intended to prevent them from organizing upcoming May First celebrations. The goal is stop workers from participating in May First events. This is exactly what happened last year about the same time.

Dear friends, and noble working-class mates throughout the world:

Today, the security of tens of labor activists in Iran is in danger. Some organizations that claim to defend workers’ interests on an international level have either chosen to be silent or merely issued a single statement condemning regime’s actions. Today, we labor activists inside Iran do not believe that just issuing statements and condemnations is an adequate response to the situation at hand. In the past few years such activities have had much less impact than before. We’re extremely concerned about the safety of incarcerated and prosecuted labor activists, and ask all of you, our true friends in real labor organizations, to condemn the anti-labor actions of the capitalist regime in Iran, and organize protests in any way, shape of form you deem as an adequate response to the situation at hand. Only through our common struggles we’ll be able to push back the capitalist order. Only through our common actions we’ll be able to prevent capitalists’ onslaughts. We believe that only through united actions of labor movements at an international level we will be able to prevent further aggressions of capitalists and their respective states.

The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists

20 February, 2009

- Women’s Council

- A Group of Labour Activists

- Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations