Source: Iran Labor

April 28, 2010 

The Council for Celebration of International Labor Day – 1389 (2010), stating demands on the workers’ day, has called for demonstrations through out Iran on the occasion of the May day.  The statement reads as follows:

Workers, teachers, students, nurses, wage-earners, ladies, gentlemen and freedom-loving people of Iran,

International Labor Day, May 1st, is a day to combine our free and democratic demands with our social and economic ones.  Without tying our economic demands and employing our organized class unity to those of our democratic demands, our struggles will only end up in the hands of a few groups who are another manifestation of the capitalist class.  Economic equality without socio-political equality is an empty phenomenon.

This year, on International Labor Day, we have to stand up.  We have to stand up against poverty, inequality, low wages, unpaid back wages, job insecurity, elimination of subsidies and political and social oppression.

International Labor Day 2010 must reflect the general population’s most pressing demands — especially labor’s demands, which is of the most importance. In our slogans and demands, everywhere we go, we must emphasize our struggle not only to pursue our rights during this day, but every day henceforth. And everywhere we go, we must continue to wage an unending struggle for the realization of our just rights.

1) We are demanding unconditional freedom for all political prisoners (including all labor activists, teachers, students, women prisoners fighting for children’s rights and all news media prisoners); and also we demand the release of all those incarcerated because of their faith, ideology or speaking freely. Freedom of speech and ideas is considered the most basic human right. We are demanding an end to all judicial rulings against all political, social and labor activists, and an end to their illegal persecution. 

2) We demand the freedom to establish independent class and social organizations, parties and societies; to organize demonstrations and strikes. Freedom of the press, freedom of speech and ideology are all basic human rights.  We will not stop our struggle until we achieve each and every one of these rights.

3) While the official poverty line is set at 900,000 tumans ($900.00), establishing the minimum wage at 303,000 tumans ($303.00) reflects the insatiable appetite of capitalists in exploiting the workers and wage earners even more in order to maximize their own profits. We are demanding the establishment of a true minimum wage that is reflective of a humane and respectable life, to be set by the representatives of workers and their unions.

4) We strongly condemn the inhumane, self-centered and violent act of ending all social subsidies, which only serves the interests of the national and international capitalist class.  Not only we will participate in demonstrations and strikes against these measures, but also we invite the entire population to take part in acts of social disobedience against any and all of these inhumane steps.

5) We strongly emphasize the need for the establishment of a just retirement system, so that all retirees may enjoy a dignified and humane level of subsistence. We demand an end to modern day slavery, which includes open-ended and temporary employment contracts.

6) We demand free education, health care and basic human services for every member of society.

7) We consider other social movements, such as women’s organizations, students and those fighting for children’s rights as our true and natural allies.  Any aggression against any of them will be considered an act of aggression against us and the labor movement, as well as an act of aggression against the dignity of each and every member of the society.

We support all immigrant workers residing in Iran, including the Afghanis. We consider ourselves part of the struggles of the world’s workers and thus support all their demands and rights.  We are demanding that May 1st be considered a national holiday, and any restriction in observing such a holiday should be ended immediately.

LONG LIVE THE SOLIDARITY OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORKING CLASS!