Solidarity with the toiling workers of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane · PDF fileI No. 49...

I

No. 49 [email protected] (*) 15th Oct. 2017

Solidarity with the toiling workers

of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Complex!

The following letter is the pleading voice of thousands of workers at Haft Tappeh Sugarcane

Complex. We have reproduced it without any commentary or explanation, and we are pleading with

everyone to express their solidarity with the demands of the workers, and helping them achieve their

aims. The solidarity Committees with the Iranian Workers Movement – abroad, tries to be the

reflective voice of these toilers, and we hope, with the class cooperation of workers and the support

of all comrades who seek freedom and justice, the workers of The Sugarcane Complex can achieve

their just deserts, like the class conscious and right-willed workers of Hepco and Azarab factories in

Arak.

Solidarity Committees with Iranian Workers Movement – abroad

8 October, 2017

[email protected]

“Filing a lawsuit for 73 striking worker of Haft -Tappeh Sugarcane Complex?!’’

What about the news of Haft Tappeh? We haven’t received our wages for three months.

We are waiting for authorities’ action, why have we been forgotten?!

After January- Februarys, 2016, the selling of Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Company to the private sector

& the handing over to the real buyers (entities and people behind the scenes), has not been cleared,

and with more than one year of suffering and anguish, during this period,

In this Issus:

- Solidarity with the toiling workers... P. 1 - Congratulations to Azarab’s … P. 2 - - Organisiert die Solidarität mit Reza … P. 3 - For Freedom of Reza Shahabi P. 3

- Organisiert die Solidarität mit Reza … P. 4 - Heart of Mohammad Jarahee, ... P. 5

- End labor oppression in Iran… P. 5 - Reports of protest gatherings … P. 6

- The protest rally against Isfahan steel … P. 7 - Workers strike at Bandar … P. 8

. An important News :

. ( please read it at first in P. 8 )

Statement No. 100 - Reza Shahabi suffers from a lot of pain, but has not actually been taken to the hospital!

(*) -About us: The Committee in Solidarity with the Iranian Labor Movement -Abroad" consists

of solidarity groups and individuals outside of Iran that support Iranian Workers' struggle for:

(1) Democratic rights and economic justice ; (2) Exposing anti-labor policies of the Islamic

Republic of Iran ; (3) Building bridges between the Iranian and international workers' movements.

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 2

we have been able to receive our wages through protests and gatherings only.

Following the non-payment of our wages, we had no choice but to close the international road of

Andimeshk – Ahwaz, to bring our protest to the authorities’ attention; but the local, provincial and

judicial authorities, not only didn’t pay any attention to our demands, but also supported the

employer and filed a judicial case against 73 toiling workers!!! And accused the righteous workers as

being saboteurs and disrupters?!

Those workers who haven’t received three months of wages and legal benefits (June, July and

August/September), in a report, informed the Labor Office, the information Office and the City

Representative, hoping that they will be listening to our complaints and advocating our legal rights.

However, it has been a wishful thinking! Instead of defending us, the authorities defended the

employer. An employer, who doesn’t accept the Labor Code, nor the Labor Office, and the county

Governor’s office, is only watching this non-existent right! We saw and heard in the media, the

tyranny of the employer and the suffering of workers of Hepco, Azarab factories in Arak. The

workers’ protest in Arak, forced the authorities to act, and answer the workers ‘demands, but in

Khuzestan, all the authorities are indifferent to the workers ‘protests and they don’t respond to our

demands. The voice of The Haft Tappeh Sugarcane workers, could not be heard anywhere; isn’t it

because the fate of thousands of the workers of this company is not important for authorities!!! Isn’t

it because there are hidden agendas at the top level between authorities & those who are behind the

selling of this Company?

Of course, these days, we are witnessing the

summons and arrest (based on the published news)

of relatives and close friends of the country’s

authorities, who have been affected with economic

corruption and rentier, and supposedly, because of

their ‘’superior gene’’, they have been able to

achieve huge wealth!

Therefore, it is worthwhile, if there is to be any

determination, if the will is to be, the supervisory

resources must be established, by setting up a

committee to scrutinize the issue of the transfer of The Haft Tappeh Sugarcane and its performance

over the past year, and asking the privatization’s organization to explain how the transfer was made.

The company’s employer has announced, that there are many plans for youth employment, such as

petrochemicals, paste factory, coal, MDF, etc, but in practice, we haven’t seen any administrative and

operational plans. We hope that the employer does not have a ‘’superior gene’’, otherwise, with his

‘’gene’’ he could use more bank facilities.

Since the transfer of ownership to the present owners, the company’s debts have increased, with the

employer only thinking of reducing the permanent workforce, and recently, he has changed the forces

facing the company’s contract to ‘’the Lucky contractor’’, so that he could better violate the worker’s

rights. We become aware every day, that lawlessness is not just the bad intentions and greed of an

employer, that we become more impoverish and more desperate, but this is the essence of the

capitalist system, in order to become richer, they must make others suffer and become poorer. We

have also learned that during the course of this struggle, the workers only with their resistance and

confronting actions can neutralize the capitalists’ plans, and during this period, we learned that the

government and the Ministry of Labor are pro capitalists. We heard previously, that they said: “we

are defending the oppressed, the poor and desperate, but now that they themselves have become rich,

then they are the defender of the rich ones!’’

Haft Tappeh Sugarcane Workers


Congratulations to Azarab’s and Hepco’s workers

Committee for the pursuit of the establishment of labor organization

Workers and noble and knowledgeable people!

Once again, the workers' standing and solidarity came

to an end, and a garden of alliance and triumphant

triumph.

The workers of Azarab and Hepco forced their

employers and supportive forces in constant struggles

to retreat.

This win was not easy. They first came to the

employers to get their wage arrears, and as no result

was reached, they came to the streets to socialize their

protest and reach out to the people. Then under attach

of tear gas and beating batons by the police forces they

demonstrated for their demands. On the other hand,

representatives of employers made promises, to silence

the workers and have them return to work. But the

workers who knew that the promises were empty, first

closed the main road and then block the railroad. It

was only than the Arak workers' protests reached the

media and got to the top of domestic and foreign news.

It was only then that the employers were forced to

respond or that the Ministry of Labor and Security

agencies tried to prevent the spread of these news and

control of the situation, referred to employers and

advised them against the big waves of workers'

movements and to try the avoidance of the flames and

the slippers of this move by workers to other factories

in Arak and other labor centers. Since that day,

employers have begun to pay part of the demands and

detentions of the workers, and the news of the rally

and the beating made its way to the parliament, and it

was decided to set up a group to investigate the matter,

and the commander of the police announced that the

strict agents had been warned. And a few days later,

Azarab CEO was arrested and the minister of labor

promised the workers to be paid and to be paid fully as

soon as possible. But until the time of this writing the

workers still did not reach their demands and protests

continue more or less. We congratulate the Azarab and Hepco workers for their rightful efforts and

call for their definitive and final success in the light of unity and vigilance.

Committee for the pursuit of the establishment of labor organizations

October 1/ 2017


International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties & Organizations

European Continental Committee 28. September 2017

At

all ICOR organizations in Europe

Organisiert die Solidarität mit Reza Shahabi – Iran

Reza Shahabi, treasurer and board member of the

syndicate of bus drivers of Tehran and the surrounding

area (Vahed Syndicate), was arrested again on 8 August

after a decision of the public prosecutor's office in Rajai

Shahr. In a press release of the "International Alliance

for the Support of Workers in Iran - Germany":

Press Release - Tuesday, 5.9.17

"Reza Shahabi was once condemned by the 15th Chamber of the Revolutionary Court for six years

of imprisonment and a fine of 7,500,000 Tuman because of his trade union activities. In addition, all

trade union activities were forbidden for a further five years after dismissal. He lost most of his

sentence and was temporarily released for medical reasons because of the conditions of detention

which included torture. ...

Harassment continues - even during his medical treatment, he has been constantly monitored,

persecuted and harassed by the security authorities. (...) The prosecutor informed him that the five

months of medical leave had been regarded as an undeclared absence and that the additional prison

sentence of one year was valid. Consequently, he must spend another 17 months in prison and is

forced to pay the fine, since otherwise he would be sanctioned with another 355 days of

imprisonment.

International Solidarity - Reza Shahabi is a well-known figure in the defense of workers' rights

because of his courage and his resistance in prison as well as his tireless struggle for the rights of the

working class in Iran. Among the labor activists of the country he is very popular and enjoys a

special sympathy and recognition. ... Even the ILO condemned the Islamic regime's dealings with the

workers' representatives in Iran and demanded their release.

We, the international Alliance for the Defense of the Iranian Workers, have attempted to draw

attention to the world public, human rights and human rights organizations, and to the arrest of Reza

Shahabi in numerous actions and declarations and announce further protests and campaigns.

Protests will not come to a standstill.

We again warn the Islamic government that the imprisonment of the workers' activists and teachers

and the regime's revenge against the resistance of the workers will not stop the protests. The reprisals

will show only the true, brutal and anti-working face of the Islamic government. "


Committee for the pursuit of the establishment of labor organizations:

Heart of Mohammad Jarahee,

a working activist, stood up!

Notification No. 9

Sadly we were to find out that the pounding heart of Mohammad Jarahee, an active laborer and a

member of the committee to pursue the formation of labor unions and a comrade of deceased

Shahrukh Zamani, stood at Tajrish Hospital on Thursday,

October 5, 2017.

Mohammad Jarajee spent three decades of his life fighting

capital oppression and raising the workers' movement, and in

this way he was arrested and imprisoned several times. Last

time he was jailed for five years without a single day of leave.

And there he was ill due to lack of medical treatment, and after

his release from prison his treatment did not do any good and

today he passed away at the hospital.

Mohammad Jarahee was an example of hundreds of active

laborers who died in a struggle to improve the living conditions

of the working class. Undoubtedly, the judiciary and the prison

authorities are involved in this death and must be held

accountable. Because they thrown the cancer on him.

The Iranian workeing class and, and Committee for the pursuit

of the establishment of labor organizations, has lost a resilient

compassionate comrade and actitivist. We send our

condolences to the large Jarahee family and the Iranian workers

and the working people of Iran.

Obviously, the memory of Mohammad Jarahee will always be

with the workers and will increase the determination of his

companions to achieve a society free of oppression and

prosperity and worth living.

Rest in peace and may many follow your foot-steps.

Committee for the pursuit of the establishment of labor

organizations

October5/2017

End labor oppression in Iran Wage

We are workers, producers and service employees among the 80 million

populations in Iran. Our existence and lives is only possible due to our labors.


We also have needs in order to have decent lives and have kids. In the last

40 years we have had wretched life conditions. Persistence of deprivation

for us and what have had is the main reason for our protests.

A secure life and peace which is proper for humanity, is a desire for us

and all working people. We believe that wealth in society which is in

pockets of the state and capitalist rulers is produced due to endless labor

and effort on our part, the workers and it should be available to everyone

to livecomfortably.

Iran is the 3rd

place oil producing and 2nd

place natural Gas producing

country in the world. It is also second in extraction of copper and has a

special position regarding gold mines. To name a few Mines: Bafg, Alborz

and Aghdarre are among them. Given such wealth, even half of it receive Text:We'll eat your mouth!

would make a fundamental improvement in our lives. Instead, we only

meager portion of the wealth and with all of our protesting campaigns and

strikes we have only been able to receive an average wage that amounts

almost to one quarter of the poverty line in Iran.

Given such circumstances imposed on us, we live in poverty. Our wages

are paid with delay. Our children are forced to work. Families are more

in danger of divorce and the unemployment has become an inseparable

part of our lives. Ultimately, dissolution of our families is in hand. With

all that anytime we protest, first response on the part of government is to

suppress our actions.

We forcefully announce that situation will not remain like this. If it comes

to the choice between having miserable working condition or struggle for

our rights, we definitely choose the second. Similar to hundreds of

protesting workers including Reza Shehabi, Behnam Ibrahimzadeh, Jaafar

Azimzadehand, and Shohrokh zamani, we will raise our voices and

demands. Be aware of the day that we get united in out protest actions.

We will end this inhumane living condition that you have forced on us.

We will not stop fighting, as workers in Haft Tapehe, Foulad of Ahvaz,

Hapco and Azarab, and Aluminuam of Arak, until acheiving a decent and

appropriate life deserving a humanbeing .

Committee endeavoring to form labor organizations

September 28, 2017


Reports of protest gatherings an of education trade,

on the occasion of International Teacher’s Day on October 5, 2017

Slogan: The weakening of Cultura, Slogan:Teacher does not have bread destruction of culture! We want the state service management law! the teacher has no housing, . the teacher has a loan!

According to reports, tens of thousands of active and retired

teachers assembled in protest, in respond to the call by

Coordinating Council of educational Trade Organizations. The

main demand in this huge gathering was state provision of a”

just budget for the Department of Education” that was read

publically as the end resolution. These gatherings took place in

Front of Organization of Program and Budget in Tehran and

local branches of Education Department in provinces.

Source: telegram affiliated with Trade Center of Teachers

Slogan: Free Prisoner Teacher!

The protest rally against Isfahan steel industry in

Front of Governor of Isfahan building

The protest rally by retirees of steel industry retirees

against the Governor of Isfahan, on Monday morning

(2nd October, 2017) took place against the Governor's

building. They belonged to two steel enterprise in Isfahan:

Mobarakeh steel Co. and Zob Ahan Esfahan.

The protesters were demanding to be paid on time and and

without any deductions and cuts. This was not first time

that the protesters were out, in the last few years they have

been on protesting march many times. Unfortunately,

despite repeated protests, their demands so far have not

been met.


They have been demanding the Government to come in their rescue, provide funding and finical

assistance to the Retirees as well.

One of the retirees says: looking for funding from the Government is the way to solve the problem.

The Government must push the demand of Retirees thru the Legislator and establish a legal basis of

funding retirees of steel. If this step be taken, a large part of the financial problems will be solved.

Workers strike at Bandar Abbas Gulf Star Refinery

Report of the Syndicate Message from the strike at

the Persian Gulf Star Refinery in Bandar Abbas

With workers' wages lagging behind in the refinery,

workers have been struggling for several days.

Today, (September 28th, 2017), more than 50 law

enforcement personnel and 100 soldiers entered

Bandar Abbas Camp, because workers have already

burned 2 silo in the Golestan buffet.

The rage workers broke all the windows and doors

of the management office and took food to the kitchen to help them stay in the dormitories. Workers

who had experience of past strikes refused to take videos and photos because they know they will be

"blacklisted" after the strike ends and they are fired from the project.

The strike continues and the whole of management tries to end the strike and get the workers back to

work.Given the strike in the Hepco and Azarab factories in Arak and the solidarity of the workers of

the city with this strike, there is a high probability that the workers in the continental shelf will strike

in support of the stranded workers.

Today, September 19, 2017, Reza Shahabi’s family met the

prisoner. According to Reza Shahabi, on Tuesday, Oct. 18,

prison guards attempted to put handcuffs on him to take him to

Hospital., but faced with reprimand. Reza Shahabi asked the

officer: "Am I a criminal that you want to handcuff me!"

The prison officer also told him: "We cannot take you to the

hospital without handcuffs. So, Reza refused to be chained ande

following Guards .

Text: Reza Shahabi's life is in danger, maybe tomorrow is too late!


The order of their superiors returned Reza to his cell, and made him to sign that you yourself refused

to go to Hospital.

Now and after 2 weeks of the conditional ending of

Reza Shahabi's hunger strike, his physical condition is

severe and, in addition to his former physical problems

(back and shoulder pain), he also suffers from the

consequences of a 50-day hunger strike (more than 7

weeks); Because of high blood pressure, it constantly

gets nosebleed, he suffers from severe pain in the

stomach, and after every meal, it suffers from severe

pain and stomach burning, his body is swollen, which

is probably due to kidney failure, and the pain of the

neck and of the scapula. Unfortunately, due to lack of

access to the doctor, he is also deprived of medicine,

which has doubled his physical problems.

The Defense Committee of Reza Shahabi declares that Reza Shahabi should be transferred to the

hospital as soon as possible with his dignity and the consequences of failure in this regard. is directed

to the authorities!

Reza Shahabi should be released immediately and unconditionally.

Defense Committee of Reza Shahabi

October 19, 1396

[email protected]

@shahabidefah

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