Iranian-Kurdish teacher trade unionist Farzad Kamangar is facing the threat of imminent execution. Please add your name to the Education International protest, and ask friends and colleagues to do the same.

http://www.ei-ie.org/form/20080818_en.php

The leaders of Iran’s independent sugarworkers union are now in prison in the city of Dezful, serving sentences for their trade union activity. In a drive to destroy the union established last year by workers at the giant Haft Tapeh plantation/refining sugar complex, a court on October 12 sentenced 5 union leaders to immediate prison terms on charges stemming from October 2007. Three leaders convicted for their union activity last year for “endangering national security” in connection with worker action in 2008 had their sentences overturned on appeal in September. Two union officers, president Ali Nejati and communications officer Reza Rakshan, both of whom face lengthy prison sentences, were still awaiting the outcome of their appeal when the court in the city of Dezful sentenced the them on the similar 2007 charges>>>READ MORE

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ATU, USA

This is a message of solidarity from ATU (Amalgamated Transit Union) Local 1005. We cover the bus drivers and train drivers in the Minneapolis and St. Paul area also known as the Twin Cities. We support the struggles of our Union brothers and sisters in Iran who have to work underground and face extreme oppression. Your actions are a shining light to workers around the world of what can be accomplished even under extreme oppression. And with the economic crisis and the recent events that have shaken Iran we wanted to let you know that on the other side of the world we are watching and supporting you. Keep your heads up and Keep fighting! Solidarity (Ryan Timlin, ATU 1005)

Australia – University of Notre Dame

We had a small ceremony on 26 June to mark the day of action led by our university chaplain. In solidarity (Email report by Richard)
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Korea

The Korea Automobile Workers’ Union used their seminar on 26 June to discuss the Iranian issues. The seminar adopted a resolution in solidarity with the Iranian workers. (Email report by H K Kim)

Japan

A representative of the Japanese national centre, Rengo, delivered the unions’ message to the Iranian Embassy in Tokyo today (2 July) after the mission made no response to their request for a meeting on 26 June. In the past, senior officials have met with union representatives to discuss matters related to trade union rights in Iran. (Phone report by Shigi Wada)

Jordan

Representatives from the Jordanian Aviation Workers’ Union visited the Iranian Embassy in Amman on 28 June, however the delegation was refused a meeting and instead the police were called. The union had requested a meeting in advance but no confirmation had been received from the Embassy. (Bilal Malkawi)

Bulgaria

In Sofia, the representative of FTTUB waited three hours at the Iranian Embassy to obtain acknowledgement of receipt of the letter that the union delivered to the Embassy. In the end, no confirmation was made by the Embassy. (Report by Slava Petrova)

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USA

Education International’s US affiliate, National Education Association (NEA) has  sent the attached letter to State Secretary Hillary Clinton.

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France

Around 200 representatives from CGT, CFDT and Amnesty International took part in a rally in front of the Iranian Embassy in Paris on 26 June. Speeches were given to explain the background to the global campaign and the situation in Iran. A protest letter was submitted to the Embassy. (Email and phone report by Patrick Vancraeyenest)

Austria

Vida and Amnesty International organised a joint action at the Donauinselfest (Danube Island Festival) open-air event from 26 to 28 June. At the union’s Youth Department information desk, signatures were collected on a petition for Iranian trade unionists. The joint information desk will also be set-up at the ÖGB Congress which is due to start later today. Participants to the Congress will be encouraged to sign the petition, which the union and Amnesty will submit to the Iranian Embassy. (Email and phone report by Eva Müller)

Poland

A group of unionists picketed the Iranian embassy and displayed names of repressed trade unionists. The union also sent protest faxes to the Iranian authorities. (Email report by Laure)

Mexico

Port workers of the Union de Estibadores y Jornaleros del Puerto de Veracruz sent a letter in solidarity with the workers in Iran. (Email report by Ramon Alomia)

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Burma

Seafarers Union of Burma (SUB) joined the Action Day by sending their protest letter to the Iranian leader. (Email report by Aung Thu Ya)

Bulgaria

The FTTUB has written to the Iranian governement as well as to the Iranian embassy in Sofia expressing their disappointment towards the authorities’ treatment of independent trade union organizations in Iran. The letter appeals for a democratic development in Iran including respect for freedom of association. FTTUB is using their website to describe the situation in Iran to their members. (Email report by Slava Petrova)
Australia – Melbourne

The Victorian branch of the RTBU handed out a number of pamphlets to the public on the Acion Day at one of the busiest railway stations, Parliament, during the peek hours of 6.45am to 9.00am. The response was very good. (Email report by John Higgins)
Belgium – Brussels, Gent

Members of BTB-ABVV have organised their “silent protest” in Brussels and Gent on the Action Day. (Email report by Dinneke Fleerackers)

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Morocco

UMT organised a meeting in Casablanca for local union representatives and activists on 26 June to highlight the message “Justice for Iranian Workers”. Awareness about the Action Day had initially been raised at a meeting of the Federation members on 20 June. (Email report by Said Saddik)

Canada – Toronto

From 6pm on 26 June in Toronto, the Students Labour Solidarity Group held a rally which the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) supported. Over 1,000 unionists, human right activists and the Iranian community people gathered at the Mal Lastman Square. Members of the Federal and provincial political parties, union and other organisations spoke to emphasize the importance of solidarity with the Iranian people and workers. Several groups of musicians made some vibrant performance during the event. (Email report by Mehdi Kouhestaninejad)

Czech Republic

On 25 June, the Czech Republic Section of Amnesty International held a demonstration in the front of the Iranian embassy in Prague to support the campaign. Several different groups such as “Students for Iran” and NGOs in Czech republic initiated this rally. More than 100 people took part. (Email report by Lenka Pitronova)

Sweden: Protesters stormed Iranian Embassy

A protest rally of around 150 people outside the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm turned into turmoil when they stormed the place by starting to tear down the fence and breaking the windows. Sixteen police units were called to the spot and were able to get the protesters out of the embassy area. One member of the embasy staff is said to be injured.

http://www.stockholmnews.com

Sweden’s Ambassador summoned by Iran

Iran summoned Sweden’s ambassador after yesterday’s turbulent protests outside the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm, the Iranian news agency Irna reports. The Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that ambassador Magnus Wernstedt has been summoned by the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Teheran for a verbal protest.

http://www.stockholmnews.com

Twenty-six independent unions and other Iranian workers’ organisations released a statement in conjunction with the Action Day expressing appreciation for this solidarity.

The ITF was told that inside Iran, activists used the Internet to watch the list of participating countries grow longer and longer by the hour, and that this support left them feeling encouraged.

Reports from the events worldwide reported heightened sensitivity at Iranian embassies however, many of which refused to receive visitors bearing letters or petitions.

Directly before the 26 June Action Day, all except one of the trade unionists arrested during earlier May Day protests were released. However, Tehran’s independent bus union leaders Mansour Osanloo and Ebrahim Madadi are still detained along with education worker, Farzad Kamangar. Dozens of journalists are also behind bars in the wake of recent political unrest in Iran.

The action day, organised by the ITF together with the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation), EI (Education International), and IUF (International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations) drew attention to Iranian workers’ rights and to human rights; it also focused trade union concerns over the current political crisis, following presidential elections in Iran. Amnesty International (AI) backed the action.

Rallies and protests involving ITF affiliated unions took place in New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, India, Morocco, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Turkey, United Kingdom, Norway and Canada, among others. A rally in Toronto saw a turnout of well over 1,000 people.

AI was responsible for initiatives in other countries including Czech Republic and in Denmark.

• For an ITF video covering the Action Day go to Youtube
• For photos posted by participants visit Flickr

• For more news about the event go to www.justiceforiranianworkers.org

Education International, together with other Global Unions and a hundred trade unionists and human rights activists, demonstrated on 26 June in front of the Iranian Embassy in Brussels to demand justice for Iranian workers.

Speakers included representatives of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), EI, Amnesty International and the Belgian trade unions confederations CGSLB/ACLVB, CSC/ACV and FGTB/ABVV.

They all underlined the urgent need to continue the fight for Iranian workers’ fundamental freedoms at work – the right to organise, to hold trade union meetings and to bargain collectively. And to use guaranteed human and trade union rights as a foundation for building a democratic society.

EI Deputy General Secretary Jan Eastman regretted that the sole Iranian government’ response to all attempts by EI to engage in a dialogue “so far has been repression and arrests – followed by more repression and more arrests.”

“EI wants to support and represent Iranian teachers, who are seeking to join the 30 million in the EI family, as a fully fledged trade union member,” she said.

She emphasised that:

• Now is the time for trade union rights, in law and practice;
• Now is the time for the Government of Iran to: drop all charges against unionists relating to trade union protest action; annul their sentences; and compensate them for damages suffered as a result of these charges and convictions; and
• Now is the time to stay the execution of Iranian teacher unionist Farzad Kamangar’s death sentence, annul his conviction and secure his release from detention.

Eastman, in the name of the 30 million teachers represented by EI, also urged the Iranian authorities to:

• Release Sajad Khaksari, son of Mohamad Khaksari of the Iranian Teachers’ Trade Association; and
• Release Hashem Khastar, Jafar Ebrahimi, Alireza Hashemi, and many professors as yet unamed – all arrested since June 11.

“So far, we haven’t received any answer to our letters to the Iranian government,” said Jaap Wienen, ITUC Deputy General Secretary, before putting an letter addressed to the Iranian government from the International trade union movement in the Embassy’ mailbox, accompanied by Eastman and other trade union leaders. “We represent 200 million workers around the world. It is important we show solidarity. I hope we will not have to meet again here next year. But if necessary, we will!”

“EI demands that the Government of Iran stop arresting teachers – and instead, support them to do their job of educating the next generation for peaceful co-existence in a democratic and sustainable world, one in which all people have respect, dignity and hope for a decent life,” said Eastman.

Clearly these global and national trade unions will be back again next year if there is no change from the Government of Iran. They will continue to defend workers rights’ to freedom of assembly, of association and expression, in Iran and elsewhere.

Full coverage of the global action day is available at www.justiceforiranianworkers.org

Act Now! – CLICK HERE to send a message to the Iranian state and judicial authorities, calling on them to immediately and unconditionally annul the sentences against the Haft Tapeh sugar union leaders!

London Protest (ITF and TUC)

Canberra Protest (MUA) and Wellington Protest (RMTU)

Copenhagen Protest (Amnesty International Denmark)

Canada – Vancouver (22h50 BST)

On 25 June, the Vancouver & District Labour Council organised a rally in solidarity with the Iranian workers. (Email report by Annie Labaj)

Canada – Ottawa (22h00 BST)

The demonstration at the Iranian embassy in Ottawa was attended by 100 people. Solidarity greetings were presented by representatives of Amnesty International, Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) and the National Teachers Federation (NTF). Paul Dewar, the federal New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament for the riding of Ottawa Centre also spoke. There were restrictions in front of the embassy so the demo was held across the street. There were a lot of flags and chanting and music. The campaign stickers were everywhere. (Email report by George Floresco)

Denmark (19h09 BST)
The Danish Section of Amnesty International mobilised its activists and organised a demonstration in front of the Iranian embassy in Copenhagen. (Email report by incerly Yours John Nielsen)

Netherlands (12h17 BST)

Members of FNV Bondgenoten in the Netherlands organised solidarity activity in front of the “Proviniehuis” in Utrecht where members of the union’s parliament had a meeting on the Iran Action Day. (Email report by Hans Hupkes)



News from Germany, South Africa, Sweden, Tunisia

On the occasion of the worldwide action day, German union GDBA yesterday sent a protest letter calling on the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Germany to support the fight for justice and the implementation of globally recognized human rights in Iran. Unions in other countries, including SATAWU (South Africa), LO (Sweden) and Fédération Nationale des Chemins de Fer (Tunisia) have also sent their protest letters to the Iranian authorities.

Italy (14h32 BST)

On 25 June, representatives of the ITUC, OECD-TUAC and national labour centres of the G8 countries expressed their deep concern over the situation in Iran at their meeting in Rome. Led by the Italian centres, CGIL,CISL and UIL, the union delegation visited the Iranian Embassy to hold a protest rally. Click here to see the video. (Email report by June Sorensen)

Belgium – Brussels (16h27)

At 13:00 about 70 trade union and Amnesty International representatives came together in front of the Iranian Embassy in Brussels. They were representing a huge trade union coalition including the ITUC, EI, other Global Union Federations, and the ETF as the European Transport Workers’ Federation. On behalf of the Belgian unions the three trade union centres, FGTB, CSC and CBSLB were present as well as three ITF / ETF affiliates: BTB/UBOT, ACV Transcom and the CGSP. No representatives from the Embassy came out to meet with the participants and so the trade union leaders delivered their protest letter to the Embassy’s letter box. (Email report by Sabine Trier)

Norway (15h43 BST)

The Norwegian Unions Fagforbundet, Norsk Transportarbeiderforbund and other ITF affiliates organised a successful demonstration today outside the Iranian Embassy in Oslo, bringing together 150 people. The Embassy refused to receive a protest letter from the Norwegian unions and so it was delivered to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs who will send the letter to the Embassy. (Email report by Per Østvold)

Great Britain (15h10 BST)

Representatives from the ITF, TUC, Amnesty International and UK affiliates participated in a protest rally between 12:30 and 13:30 opposite the Iranian Embassy in London. Activists displayed flags, campaign banners and posters with the messages “Free Osanloo” and “Justice for Iranian Workers”. Leaflets with information about the global campaign were also distributed. Demonstrators held placards bearing the names of those arrested at trade union demonstrations on May Day in Tehran who have still not been released. A delegation of unionists and human rights activists attempted to deliver 16,000 Amnesty International postcards calling on the Iranian Government to release the jailed Iranian prisoners, however the Embassy did not meet the delegation or receive the postcards. Participants at the rally signed a red flag in solidarity with workers in Iran.” Click here for the TUC video.

Turkey (13h19 BST)

Turkish unions including Tekgida-Is, TÜMTIS and BIRLESIK METAL –IS took part in a protest at the Iranian Consulate of Istanbul, organised by TÜRK-IS (Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions) and DISK (Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey), to show solidarity and support to the workers and people of Iran. (Email report by Burcu Ayan)

Spain (11h57 BST)

This morning representatives from UGT and CC.OO met in front of the Iranian Embassy to protest the imprisonment of trade unionists in Iran. The delegation was not permitted to enter the Embassy however a joint letter from the two national centres was handed over to an employee at the Embassy. (Email report by Sebastian Serena)

Belgium – Antwerp (11h42 BST)

Today at midday BTB-ABVV unionists joined together to organise a protest in front of the BTB offices to show solidarity support to the Iranian workers and to protest against human and workers・rights violations in Iran. Participants were informed about the repression of Iranian trade unionists. The symbolic action ended with a minute’s silence as a tribute to imprisonned workers in Iran. (Email report by Frank Moreels)

Thailand (09h51 BST)

This morning ITF, ITUC, IUF and ICEM affilaites in Thailand joined together to organise a protest in front of the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok to show solidarity support to the Iranian workers and to protest against human and workers’ rights violations in Iran. The demonstrators, who were holding banners, posters and waving flags were met by a strong police presence outside the Embassy. Unlike previous protest activity, on this occasion, the Embassy refused to accept the unions’ joint protest letter. The unions will send the joint protest letter by fax and email to the Iranian Embassy in Bangkok and related authorities in Iran. (Email report by Su-angcana Tungworachet)

Nepal (10h31 BST)

Nepal Yatayat Mazdoor Sangh (NETWON) has this morning submitted a protest letter to the Nepalese Foreign Secretary in solidarity with Iranian workers. The Foreign Secretary committed to send the letter to the Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran since there is no Iranian Embassy in Nepal. (Email report by Ajay Kumarrai)

Indonesia (06h51 BST)

A demonstration of 100 union representatives from ITF unions and other Global Union affiliates in Indonesia was held in front of the Iranian Embassy in Jakarta today. The event was covered by electronic media and press. (Email report by Sonny Pattiselanno)

Hong Kong (05h37 BST)

Trade unionists visited the Iranian Consulate and submitted their memorandum of protest today. (Email report by Chiu-wai Chan)

Australia (07h52 BST)

Around 100 union members and supporters from the Australian Workers’ Union, the Australian Services Union, the Australian Education Union, the CFMEU, the Maritime Union of Australia and the Rail Tram and Bus Union have protested outside the Embassy in Canberra today. The union members had wanted to hand a letter to the Ambassador from the Australian Council of Trade Unions outlining the anger of union members at the treatment of unionists in Iran, however the Iranian Ambassador refused to meet the union delegation. The letter has been sent by fax to the Ambassador instead. (Email report by Andrew Casey)

India – New Delhi (09h58 BST)

In a great show of solidarity, workers from ITF-affiliated unions in India have held demonstrations in New Delhi, Mumbai and  Lucknow. In Delhi over 500 AIRF railway workers demonstrated at the Jantar Mantar, as police had issued prohibitory orders in the area surrounding the Iranian embassy. The demonstration was addressed by representatives of the AIRF, NRMU and ITF. A delegation was later escorted to the Iranian Embassy where they were met by the Counsellor in the Embassy who accepted the memorandum and promised to forward it to Tehran.  There are also reports of a demonstration by the NRMU at Lucknow station in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. There is a sizeable Shia community in this city. (Email report by Sangam Tripathy)

India – Mumbai (08h28 BST)

The National Union of Seafarers of India, Maritime Union of India, Transport and Dock Workers Union, Aviation Industry Employees Guild and Western Railway Employees Union has had a very effective meeting with the Consulate General of the Iranian Consulate in Mumbai, who promised to look into the issue and has requested that the unions provide the names of those arrested and details of the prison in which they are being held. (Email report from Abdulgani Y. Serang)

Sweden (09h07 BST)

The President of TCO, the Swedish Confederation of Professional Employees, Sture Nordh has today sent a protest letter to the Iranian Ambassador in Stockholm demanding that the Iranian Government respect fundamental trade union rights and underlining the importance of releasing the imprisoned trade unionists.  The letter also called for a halt to the ongoing repression of the Iranian people and for democratic development in Iran including respect for freedom of association for both workers and employers. (Email report by Lars Bengtsson)