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No. 49 nhkommittehamahangi@gmail.com (*) 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

nhkommittehamahangi@gmail.com

“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.

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

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

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

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 3

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

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 4

International Coordination of Revolutionary Parties & Organizations

European Continental Committee 28. September 2017

Atall 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. "

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 5

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.

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 6

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

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 7

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

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 8

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 .

Alternative Workers News-Iran No. 49 - P. 9

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

k.d.shahabi@gmail.com

@shahabidefah