Labor Unions Join the Resistance in Iran

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/6/20/744789/-Labor-Unions-Join-the-Resistance-in-Iran

by NLinStPaul

Sat Jun 20, 2009 at 05:56:07 AM PDT

There's been a lot of speculation about the make-up of the protesters in Iran. Is it made up of just young people? Those only in Tehran? Only the ruling/middle class?

Now we get word that labor unions have joined the fray. Specifically, Al Giordano at The Field notes that both auto workers and bus workers are taking action.

* NLinStPaul's diary :: ::
*

From the auto workers:

Strike in Iran Khodro:

We declare our solidarity with the movement of the people of Iran.

Autoworker, Fellow Laborers (Laborer Friends): What we witness today, is an insult to the intelligence of the people, and disregard for their votes, the trampling of the principles of the Constitution by the government. It is our duty to join this people's movement.

We the workers of Iran Khodro, Thursday 28/3/88 in each working shift will stop working for half an hour to protest the suppression of students, workers, women, and the Constitution and declare our solidarity with the movement of the people of Iran. The morning and afternoon shifts from 10 to 10:30. The night shift from 3 to 3:30.

Laborers of IranKhodor

And an excerpt from the bus workers (read the whole thing at The Field):

The fact that the demands of the vast majority of Iranian society go far beyond those of unions is obvious to all, and in the previous years we have emphasized that until the principle of the freedom to organize and to elect is not materialized, any talk of social freedom and labor union rights will be a farce.

Given these facts, the Autobus Workers Union places itself alongside all those who are offering themselves in the struggle to build a free and independent civic society. The union condemns any kind of suppression and threats.

To recognize labor-union and social rights in Iran, the international labor organizations have declared the Fifth of Tir (June 26) the international day of support for imprisoned Iranian workers as well as for the institution of unions in Iran. We want that this day be viewed as more than a day for the demands of labor unions to make it a day for human rights in Iran and to ask all our fellow workers to struggle for the trampled rights of the majority of the people of Iran.


FULL story at link.

[BlooInBloo]

1. Tick, tock, motherfuckers.

[robinlynne]

2. right on. This makes me proud. of humanity.

[Wizard777]

3. Iran is the birthplace of Human Rights.

The first known document on human rights was by Cyrus the Great. He was the founder and ruler of the Persian Empire. A reproduction of the Cylinder is on Display at the UN.

[rug]

4. Now we're getting somewhere.