Iran's Union Heroes

Guardian ^ | March 06, 2008

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Iran's Union Heroes

March 06, 2008

The Guardian

Today is Free Osanloo Action Day, which will be marked by protests worldwide to demand the release of the imprisoned Iranian trade union leaders, Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi.

Independent trade unions are banned in Iran. Only state-sponsored labour councils are permitted and, to ensure their loyalty to the state, there are restrictions on who can stand for election to these councils. They are, in effect, instruments of the state for the purpose of controlling and pacifying worker discontent. This corporatist, anti-union character of the Iranian state bears many of the hallmarks of a fascist regime.

Osanloo and Salehi are not the only victims. In the last three weeks, several workers have been fined and flogged in the city of Sanandaj, according to a report by the National Union of Dismissed and Unemployed Workers of Iran. Their crime? Taking part in May Day celebrations in 2007, which the mullahs deem to be "anti-Islamic."

Today's protest outside the Iranian Embassy in London is a timely solidarity with Osanloo, Salehi and all the workers of Iran. It is coordinated by the International Transport Workers Federation and the International Trade Union Confederation, and supported by the Trades Union Congress and the unions Aslef, GMB, RMT, TSSA, Unison and Unite.

Similar protests are taking place in more than 40 countries worldwide, involving hundreds of thousands of trade union members.

Notably absent from the protests in support of Iranian trade unionists are most activists from the "revolutionary left" and "anti-imperialist" movements. They protested night and day when Franco, Pinochet and Botha jailed trade union leaders. But with a few honourable exceptions, many of them are now silent about the anti-worker regime in Tehran.