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Demonstration in
Ottawa
In
Support of Tehran Transport Workers
Join the
Worldwide call by the International Trade Union Movements to release jailed
strikers!
Wednesday, February 15,
2006
12:00 – 2:00 P.M.
Over 1000 members of the Syndicate of
the Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company were arrested and the
majority of them continue to be in custody following the brutal use of police
and the company's security forces on January 28th.
The government
brought the military personnel and buses to the City in addition to thousands of
security and armed forces as well as plain cloth officers to pre-empt and crash
the strike. According to a statement by the Syndicate, many drivers were beaten,
threatened and forced to drive buses. The Company's CEO has vowed to fire all
striking workers, and the company and the government authorities are forcing
workers to sign "penitent statement" in order to be able to return to work.
The union has issued a number of pleas for support, urging the
international labour and progressive movements to condemn the attack on workers
and support their demands. These fellow workers have been simultaneously
fighting back against all these attacks on numerous fronts, but, having no
rights to organize freely or to strike, their protests and walkouts have been
brutally repressed by the security and intelligent forces.
The struggle of Tehran’s transport
workers demonstrated the great need for the Iranian labour movement to have its
own free and independent organizations. The Iranian workers greatly need
international labour solidarity and support to fight back against such violent
offensives by the employers, the capitalist class in Iran and the oppressive
government.
We are urging all concerned organizations and
individuals around the world particularly the labour and progressive activists
and organizations in canada to intensify their pressure on the Iranian
government for the release of all arrested workers. We support the ICFTU, the
ITF and other global unions’ call for the Day of Action in Support of Workers in
Iran on February 15, 2006. We are asking for the following urgent demands;
1- The immediate and unconditional release of all arrested
workers including members of the board of directors of the Syndicate and its
president Mr. Mansoor Osanloo.
2- The immediate removal of the
security and intelligent forces from the company's workstations and bus depots,
as well as putting an end to the violent treatment of workers in labour
disputes.
3- The recognition of the Syndicate of Vahed Workers as the
genuine representative of workers.
4- The recognition of the right to
organize freely,the right to collective bargaining and the right to
strike.
5- The Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed) and
Tehran's Mayor must be pressured to reinstate all workers, pay workers their due
amount with appropriate and fair compensation and recognize the union. The
company must be warned not to take any retaliatory actions against
workers.
6- Repeal all sentences against the Saqez labour activists,
who were arrested and charges for the celebration of May Day.
The Bus service to
Ottawa is
available!
Where: Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran
245
Metcalfe St., Ottawa
Time: 12:00 to 2:00 p.m.
Date: Wednesday, February 15,
2006
. For more information,
please contact:
ُEmail: iranianworkersdefence@yahoo.ca
Phone: 416-825-2084 or 416-825--4744
Organized by the Committee for the Defence of Workers in Iran-Canada
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