Letter from a member of Tehran's bus workers' union to 42nd Congress of ITF

Dear Colleagues,

I have learnt of the holding of your congress on August 5th 2010. Before I begin, I want to wish you a successful congress. I am writing this letter as an employee of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat e Vahed), who lives in Canada for security reasons. I am also a member of the Union of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, and a member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation, ITF.

My name is Manuchehr Mahdavi Tabar. I used to work in District 1 in Tehran and was arrested in February 2006. They arrested us only because we wanted our union and struggled for our rights. Close to one thousand were arrested and imprisoned in our strike. When the worldwide campaign started on 15th of February 2006, it resulted in the freeing of many workers in just two days thanks to the strength of the solidarity action. This historical worldwide labour action gave a new boost to our struggle and to the Iranian labour movement. Currently, under different conditions, our co-workers are sitting in prison. Three of our union members: Mansoor Osanlo, Ebrahim Madadi and Reza Shahabi have been imprisoned. Also Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and other labour activists were arrested and imprisoned during last month. These arrests have been made at a time when the whole of society is in protest and workplaces are under pressure of layoffs, inflation, poverty and unpaid wages. People are protesting on a daily basis. Labour activists and their leaders have been imprisoned to prevent labour protests. They have arrested them to crush the workers’ syndicate of Vahed Company. The Islamic Republic is scared of labour protests and fears that it could spread to other places in society. You witnessed how Farzad Kamangar and four other political activists were executed two months ago. Additionally 6 other workers and teachers are in prison right now.

Iranian workers need international support urgently more than any other time. As a worker of Vahed bus workers’ union, and a member of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), I request your congress to give its greatest support to Iranian workers. I hope that a resolution gets through at your congress in support of the imprisoned workers of Vahed Company and other jailed workers and political prisoners in Iran. I look forward to an urgent day of action proposed by your congress against worker repression in Iran and for the release of all workers and political prisoners in Iran.

Mansoor Osanlo, Ebrahim Madadi, Reza Shahabi, Behnam Ebrahimzadeh and Mehdi Farrahi Shandiz and all other political prisoners in Iran must be freed immediately.

Manuchehr Mahadvi Tabar

20 July 2010