INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-IRAN:

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY DAY WITH THE WORKERS OF IRAN:

Tomorrow, June 26, is the day that has been long planned for by opposition unionists in Iran and their supporters worldwide, a day when international labour, 170 million strong, says enough to the seemingly endless repression of workers' rights in Iran. no doubt the significance of this day has seemingly been overshadowed by recent events in Iran, but its importance should not be underestimated. Through three decades of theocratic oppression the ideal of indpendent workers' organization has been kept alive in Iran, and, in the end, if the present ruling class of that country is ever to be overtrown or even forced to compromise it will not be by easily repressible street demonstrations but rather by indusrial action on the part of the ordinary Iranian. Here, from the website of the International Transport Workers' Federation, is the announcement of the international Day of Action.

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Worldwide Iran protests tomorrow:
25 June 2009
Protests for freedom in Iran will be held worldwide tomorrow, 26 June, organised by four global union organisations and their members, representing over 170 million workers.

Demonstrations will be held at Iranian embassies/consulates in Ankara, Bangkok, Brussels, Canberra, Geneva, Jakarta, London, Madrid, New Delhi, Oslo, The Hague, Tokyo, Toronto and Wellington. Alongside those events trade unions in other countries are also holding various support actions (See Worldwide Update at http://www.justiceforiranianworkers.org/ for more details).

The ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation), EI (Education International), ITF (International Transport Workers’ Federation) and IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations) called the worldwide action day to demand justice and to protest against the denial of rights within Iran. Amnesty International has backed this campaign.

Guy Ryder, ITUC General Secretary, commented: “We have exhausted all avenues of reasonable dialogue to persuade the Iranian government to allow basic human and trade union rights. Their answer has been repression and arrests. Given this failure we must protest publicly against what is happening in Iran.”

Fred van Leeuwen, EI General Secretary, added: “Trade unions across the world are mobilising to express their repugnance for what is being done and what has been done to crush the aspirations of ordinary Iranians. We invite everyone who is concerned at those abuses to join us.”

David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary, said: “Tomorrow we all get the chance to show the government of Iran how discredited it has become and how the whole world feels about the repression and violence it is creating. We intend to raise a worldwide clamour for reform that will force the regime to listen and understand that the time for change has come.”

Ron Oswald, IUF General Secretary, concluded: “As trade unions we have long campaigned for the rights of Iranian workers, and that campaign continues. Tomorrow’s events are one facet of a continuing struggle that will not go away until those rights are respected.”

At time of sending the latest update of events (more will be posted at http://www.justiceforiranianworkers.org/ as they are confirmed) is:
In Australia, the ACTU Congress adopted a motion in support of the campaign. Unions and community organisations will rally outside the Iranian embassy in Canberra at midday on June 26. The MUA also plans events in Sydney and Melbourne.

In Austria, VIDA will use the Danube Island Festival in Vienna from 26 to 28 June to inform visitors about the Iran campaign. The union will distribute flyers, stickers and organise a collection of signatures. The congress of ÖGB (Austrian Trade Union Federation) on 30 June to 2 July in Vienna will also be used to distribute information. Teachers union, GÖD will be joining these activities.

Belgium. Demonstration to be held in Brussels beginning 13:00, with ITUC, EI, ETF, FGTB, CSC, CGSLB, BTB all taking part, along with Amnesty International. BTB is also encouraging every regional section to organise an event on 26 June.

Canada. Demonstrations planned in Ottawa and Toronto (commencing at 18:00 in Mel Lastman Square, Toronto (North York Subway Station).

France. On 26 June, French unions the CFDT, CGT, FO, CFTC and UNSA will submit a letter to the Ambassador demanding the release of trade unions and respect of union rights. At 12:30, there will be a rally in front of the Iranian Embassy in Paris.

HKCTU and HKPTU in Hong Kong have confirmed their participation in the action day.
In India the All India Railwaymen’s Federation will organise rallies, marches and demonstrations.

ITF unions in Indonesia organised a protest action in May after the mass arrests in Tehran on International Workers’ Day. Transport unions KPI, JICT, TPK-KOJA, IKAGI and SPKA, together with the teachers union, PGRI, will hold a rally in Jakarta and conduct a prayer meeting in the port of Tanjung Priok.

In Iran the ITF-affiliated Tehran Bus Workers Union (Syndicate Vahed) has called on unions around the world “to include the human rights agenda for all the Iranians” in the June 26 global solidarity action day.

Iraq. The General Union of Iraq Port Workers will meet at the union’s HQ then demonstrate.

Italy. 19:30 sit-in in front of Iranian Embassy, Rome.

Japan. Japanese affiliates of the IUF and ITF, together with the national centre, Rengo, will host a mass meeting on 24 June to adopt a motion in support of the campaign. Representatives of the unions will then present this at the Iranian Embassy in Tokyo on June 26.

Unions attending the Asia/Pacific Regional Conference of the ITF in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia unanimously adopted a resolution to reaffirm their participation in the action day. EI affiliate NUTP will be collecting signatures and sending protest letters.

Mexico. Events TBC.

Rail workers of the UMT in Morocco will organise a solidarity meeting in Casablanca on 26 June.

Nepal. No Iranian embassy in the country so protest to Iran government will be made via the Nepalese Foreign Ministry.

In Wellington, New Zealand, the unions plan to bring “a brass band, lots of signs, drums and a street play depicting locked up Iranian Unionists” to the Embassy.

Aviation union, ATSSAN in Nigeria will hold a solidarity rally at Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos.

In Norway, Fagforbundet (Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees) and Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund (Norwegian Transport Workers’ Union) will organise a demonstration in front of the Iranian Embassy in Oslo.

In The Netherlands, the FNV has requested a meeting at the Embassy of Iran. Gatherings of the AOB teachers’ union and FNV Bondgenoten on 26 June will reflect the Justice for Iranian workers campaign.

Turkey. Turkish transport unions, BTS, HAVA-IS and TUMTIS confirm that they will organise a protest action in Ankara in front of the Iranian embassy. They are inviting fellow trade unionists, human rights groups and students to take part. Further action is also planned in Istanbul.

Spain. CCOO and UGT organising demonstration in front of Iranian Embassy, Madrid, commencing 10:00.

Switzerland. The ITUC’s Geneva office have requested a meeting with the Iranian labour attaché to the UN on 26 June. The International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM) has announced its support for the campaign.

In Sweden LARARFORBUNDET is discussing joint activities with the Swedish Confederation of Trade Unions.

Thailand. In Bangkok, the ITF-Thai committee, together with the national labour centre, SERC, will organise a demonstration at the Embassy and submit a letter to the Ambassador. They will also visit the ILO Office to raise the violation of workers’ rights in Iran.

In London, United Kingdom, a demonstration will be held at the Iranian Embassy, 16 Prince’s Gate, London SW7 1PTF from 12:30 to 13:30.

USA. NEA has written to the US State Department on violation of workers’ rights in Iran. AFT is also planning an activity. The Teamsters Union has written to Secretary of State Clinton.
ENDS
For more details please contact
ITF. Press officer Sam Dawson.

Tel: +44 (0)20 7940 9260.

Email: Dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
ITUC. Press Officer Mathieu Debroux.

Tel: +32(0)2 22 40 204.

Email: mathieu.debroux@ituc-csi.org
EI. Nancy Knickerbocker.

Tel: +32 (0)2 22 40 611.

Email: Nancy.knickerbocker@ei-ie.org
IUF. Peter Rossman.

Email: iuf@iuf.org
International Transport Workers' Federation -

ITF:HEAD OFFICE

ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS

Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733

Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871

Email: mail@itf.org.uk

Web: http://www.itfglobal.org/

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A WORKING CLASS UNITED ?:

This is is direct contrast to the title of a previous post on this subject ie 'A Ruling Class Divided'. While the ruling class in Iran scrambles to settle their internal feuds and, at the same time, repress challenges to their rule, the international working class, in its tens of millions are moving to offer solidarity to their Iranian fellow workers. the following from the Justice for Iranian Workers website is the "hand across the divide" from workers in Iran and their organizations. Molly has expressed her opinion in one of the polls on our sister site Molly's Polls that the present ruling clique in Iran will achieve a "tempoorary victory" over the present protests but thatg the opposition will take the present events and deepen their resistance over the long term. An important, perhaps the most important , aspect of this resistance will be the spread and consolidation of independent working clasds orgnaizations in Iran. Here is their statement at teh present time.

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Joint message by 26 workers’ groups in Iran on Action Day:
The Solidarity Message from Iranian Workers for the Day of Action
Four international trade union organisations (ITUC, ITF, IUF and EI) have declared 26 June as the international day of solidarity with Iranian workers to support their struggle for their basic rights. Members of these confederations around the world will organize practical support towards workers in Iran on this day.

This declaration of international solidarity with Iranian workers is a significant historical moment in the struggles of the international workers’ movement to achieve human rights for workers around world. It would certainly play a significant role in advancing the struggles of the workers in Iran. Moreover this action would further deepen the international unity and solidarity of the working class throughout the world.

We the undersigned wholeheartedly support this international unity initiative. We would like to express our deepest appreciation and gratitude to the organizers of the action day and wish to warmly shake hands with you. We send our sincere greetings to the workers of the world in each and every unions.
Long live international solidarity,25 June 2009
Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company

Union of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Workers

Free Union of Iranian Workers

The Collaborative Council of Labour Organizations and Activists

Kermanshah Electricity and Metal Society

Khameneh Textile Workers;

Workers of Sanandaj Par-Ris Factory;

Workers of Rugs West Factory

Kurdestan Textile Workers

Sanandaj Shin-Baaft Textile Factory;

Workers of Shahoo Companies

Kurdistan Textile Gharb-Baaft [Textile Company];

Pak Ara Milk

Workers Brick Shell Company

Sama Gunnysack Makers Fajr Flour

Niroo Raksh [Power Company]

Service Workers of Sanandaj Tohid Hospital;

Group of Sanandaj retirees;

Workers of Westrmanshah Carpet Company;

Group of Kian Tyre (Alborz) Workers;

Group of workers and activists in Marivan city

Group of workers and activists in Kamyaran city

Group of workers and activists in Mashhad

Workers of Car Glass

Group of workers of Metal factories

Workers of Yarag Alam Ghom Company

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT-GREECE:

INSURGENT WORKERS OCCUPY UNION CONFEDERATION HEADQUARTERS:

I originally discovered the following item on today's LibCom site, but it is here, there and everywhere across the "anarcho-net" today. it is likely that the original source is the Athens Indymedia where it has been translated into Spanish and French as well as English. there is another take on the story as well at THIS LINK.

To say the least this may be the most important development in the events in Greece so far. Despite much government(and Communist Party) propaganda the students and immigrants have not been the only people present in the past two weeks of demonstrations and riots. Ordinary working class people, disgusted with the venality of the government and its conservative policies, have joined in as well, despite the efforts of the socialist PASOK and the communist KKE to contain and defuse the protests.

The role of the Communists (whose initials 'KKE' are known in Greece as either "kappa-kappa-epsilon" or "koo-koo-eh", the latter being most appropriate) has been particularly despicable. They have taken to sending their goon squads into premises to prevent their being occupied. They are also the source of the bizarre assertion mentioned earlier on this blog that the uprising is an "American plot". Like my asshole chews bubblegum. But unreconstructed Stalinists can believe anything. Look what they believed for decades. The problem with the goon squads is that they simply don't have enough goons to cover the now hundreds of targets of occupation. Can we say "outnumbered". The problem with the great lie is that only the most mindless party loyalist could take it seriously. The actions of the KKE are such that persons unknown have already firebombed several of their party headquarters in anger. Molly certainly doesn't agree with this sort of tactic, if for no other reason than the fact that such places contain resources that should be put to better use than Communist propaganda.

Within the union movement the Socialists and the Communists have held a stranglehold for decades. The occupation that is reported below shows that at least a segment of the workers that the politicians claim to represent are fed up with their conservative tactics, and are in support of more fundamental change in Greek society. The Communist-Conservative alliance in all but name should hardly be any surprise to anyone who knows the history of working class upsurges in the past half century in western Europe. The rejection of the traditional political parties of the left is an absolutely necessary prelude to any fundamental change in any developed country today. That may be happening in Greece today, even if only at a small level so far.

Before moving on to the article Molly would like to recommend a site that covers the events in Greece at a truly admirable level. The Open Anthropology Blog doesn't just post the news. It also has what is the best list of other libertarian sources on what is happening in Greece today that I have come across. VERY highly recommended.

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Workers in Greece occupy union offices:
The historic central offices of the General Confederation of Greek Workers in Athens have been occupied by militant workers.

The action forms part of a strategy to counteract the designs of the union bureaucracy to distance its membership from the current revolt, and protest its management and mediation of workers' struggles in Greece. The occupants aim to create a space in which to facilitate a grassroots and self organised workers response to the crisis, and bring the wider working class into the events unfolding on the streets of Greece. Town halls in Athens and Thessaloniki have also been occupied in order to hold general assemblies.

The communique of the "General Assembly of Insurgent Workers" follows below:
DECLARATION:
We will either determine our history ourselves or let it be determined without us.

We, manual workers, employees, jobless, temporary workers, local or migrants, are not passive tv-viewers. Since the murder of Alexandros Grigoropoulos on Saturday night we participate in the demonstrations, the clashes with the police, the occupations of the centre or the neighborhoods. Time and again we had to leave work and our daily obligations to take the streets with the students, the university students and the other proletarians in struggle.
WE DECIDED TO OCCUPY THE BUILDING OF GSEE
-To turn it into a space of free expression and a meeting point of workers.
-To disperse the media-touted myth that the workers were and are absent from the clashes, and that the rage of these days was an affair of some 500 "mask-bearers", "hooligans" or some other fairy tale, while on the tv-screens the workers were presented as victims of the clash, while the capitalist crisis in Greece and worldwide leads to countless layoffs that the media and their managers deal as a "natural phenomenon".
-To flay and uncover the role of the trade union bureaucracy in the undermining of the insurrection -and not only there. GSEE and the entire trade union mechanism that supports it for decades and decades, undermine the struggles, bargain our labor power for crumbs, perpetuate the system of exploitation and wage slavery. The stance of GSEE last Wednesday is quite telling: GSEE cancelled the programmed strikers' demonstration, stopping short at the organization of a brief gathering in Syntagma Sq., making simultaneously sure that the people will be dispersed in a hurry from the Square, fearing that they might get infected by the virus of insurrection.
-To open up this space for the first time -as a continuation of the social opening created by the insurrection itself-, a space that has been built by our contributions, a space from which we were excluded. For all these years we trusted our fate on saviours of every kind, and we end up losing our dignity. As workers we have to start assuming our responsibilities, and to stop assigning our hopes to wise leaders or "able" representatives. We have to acquire a voice of our own, to meet up, to talk, to decide, and to act. Against the generalized attack we endure. The creation of collective "grassroot" resistance is the only way.
-To propagate the idea of self-organization and solidarity in working places, struggle committees and collective grassroot procedures, abolishing the bureaucrat trade unionists.

All these years we gulp the misery, the pandering, the violence in work. We became accustomed to counting the crippled and our dead - the so-called "labor accidents". We became accustomed to ignore the migrants -our class brothers- getting killed. We are tired living with the anxiety of securing a wage, revenue stamps, and a pension that now feels like a distant dream.

As we struggle not to abandon our life in the hands of the bosses and the trade union representatives, likewise we will not abandon any arrested insurgent in the hands of the state and the juridical mechanism.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE OF THE DETAINED

NO CHARGE TO THE ARRESTED

SELF-ORGANIZATION OF THE WORKERS

GENERAL STRIKE

WORKERS' ASSEMBLY IN THE "LIBERATED" BUILDING OF GSEE

Wednesday, 17 December 2008, 18:00
General Assembly of Insurgent Workers
A banner handing from the facade of the building reads:
From labor "accidents"to the murders in cold blood

State - Capital kill
No persecution

Immediate release of the arrested
GENERAL STRIKE
Workers' self-organization

will become the bosses' grave
General Assembly of Insurgent Workers