Amnesty joins Iran workers' rights fight
Morning Star / Paddy McGuffin
11-Jun-2011 (one comment)

Amnesty International will launch its global campaign today in solidarity with independent Iranian trade unions' struggle for human rights.

The charity has worked closely with international trade union organisations in campaigns in support of independent workers' organisations such as the Tehran Bus Workers Union.

An international campaign, backed by Amnesty, the TUC and the TFL, secured the release this month of the union's founder Mansour Ossanlu, who was sentenced to five years imprisonment for his activism.

But it's feared that Mr Osanloo's release is a temporary measure and independent trade unionists in Iran continue to face persecution, intimidation and even death.

His colleagues Ebrahim Madadi and Reza Shahab Zakaria remain incarcerated.

Amnesty International UK trade union co-ordinator Shane Enright said: "The situation of working people in Iran has become more and more acute. The government is withdrawing subsidies on fuel and food and the levels of repression are intensifying.

"This campaign is about supporting the aspirations of the Iranian people in their struggle for human rights."

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Simorgh5555

Amnesty joins Iran workers' rights fight

by Simorgh5555 on Sat Jun 11, 2011 03:56 AM PDT

One of the key factor's in the Arab revolt was the participation of the workers and trade unions. It was also one of the reasons the so-called revolution of 1979 was successful. The Green Movement has largely been perceived as struggle against the regime by the iranian intelligentsi and middle class. If the Iranians workers mobilise and carry out a series of strikes this could have a massive effect on the economy even if the IR has the support of the Bazaris in Tehran. 

 



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