The Left Party of Iran celebrates International Workers' Day, the day of solidarity of workers, wage earners, and all those who strive for freedom, equality, social justice, the creation of a world free from dictatorship, exploitation, discrimination, and war. We pay tribute to those who have fought in this struggle and sacrificed their lives and honor political prisoners, workers, and imprisoned teachers, and salute them as fight for their release.
From the establishment of the capitalist system to the present day, the struggle between the working class and capitalist governments in the world has been marked by continuous ups and downs. The strike of textile workers in Chicago in 1886, which began with the demand for an 8-hour workday, despite the massacre of workers’ leaders, became a turning point in the workers' struggle for solidarity, freedom, and dignity worldwide. Shortly thereafter, workers in America and other countries were able to make important strides towards improving working conditions, increasing wages, and enhancing their lives by forming labor unions in addition to imposing the 8-hour workday.
In Iran, International Workers' Day has been observed since 1921 as a result of the struggles of nascent progressive parties and organizations during the Constitutional Revolution. The formation of the Communist and Tudeh Party of Iran in 1941 and the establishment of the United Council of Iranian Workers eventually led to the acceptance of the 8-hour workday in the first Labor Law of Iran, which was passed in 1946 after battles waged by workers' organizations. The right of workers to unionize was also recognized. Despite the official recognition of Workers' Day as a public holiday in labor law, this law, like the right to organize, is not upheld by the government and employers. Workers continue to demand public observance of International Workers' Day and the right to hold peaceful street protests for their demands without police interference and they continue to fight for it. However, May Day demos are still met with police crackdowns, and participants in these gatherings get arrested and imprisoned.
In the past year, the regime's policy of suppressing wages and attacking workers intensified, despite their struggles and achievements. Wages were increased by 50% less than the official inflation rate, retirement laws were changed, temporary employment in various jobs continued, child labor was legalized, more funds from social security were embezzled, discrimination against women intensified, and efforts to exclude them from the workforce escalated. As a result of these actions, coupled with street pressure and crackdowns, the participation rate of women decreased by almost 14%.
Alongside the intensified government attacks on the rights and livelihoods of the people, protests by workers, teachers, retirees, nurses, and other wage-earning groups also grew, leading to hundreds of strikes and protests. Last year's protests became more political than before, with many demonstrations featuring slogans against the president, ministers,
and parliament. The plundering of public assets under the guise of "generating wealth" continued secretly last year, with only a select few government officials having any knowledge of the details.
Non-governmental experts, relying on official statistics, publish eye-opening reports on the outcomes of government policies and performance. These reports show an increase of 8 million people living below the poverty line, the existence of 7 million child laborers and street children, 4 million children dropping out of school, rising theft and crime rates, human trafficking and homelessness, selling organs and body parts for bread and housing, malnutrition affecting half of the population, and environmental destruction, just a small portion of the consequences of religious tyranny.
The widespread protests and the joining of various labor groups in the protests, due to the creation of a semi-fascist security atmosphere and severe suppression and prevention of the right of the union by the regime, have not prevented government and employer oppression against workers' rights. Despite intensified suppression, workers' struggles to achieve their demands are continuing vigorously and expanding, becoming more radical every day.
The repression of labor activists increased in the past year, with many workers being imprisoned and hundreds of people being expelled due to union activities. Additionally, hundreds of members, leaders, and activists of teachers' unions were detained, tried, sentenced to prison, and expelled.
Workers' struggles, both in the trade union and political activities, have shown significant growth in the past year. Trade unions showed significant support to the revolutionary movement "Women, Life, Freedom.". Workers’ organizations joined other partners and emphasized their support for this movement through the publishing of a 12-point charter. In particular, the Coordination Council of Teachers' Unions played a crucial role in defending the movement and paid a heavy price for their support. These actions indicate the political maturity and growth of labor organizations.
The Left Party of Iran condemns the repression of wage earners and the protests of workers and retirees and supports their struggles for increasing wages in line with the real cost of living.
The attacks on the rights and achievements of workers' struggles have increased in most countries worldwide, even extending to the most democratic countries in Northern Europe. However, the resistance to these attacks remains strong due to the presence of freedom for trade union activities and workers' parties. These attacks once again demonstrate that capitalist systems will not hesitate to modify supportive laws and take back workers' achievements whenever they see an opportunity. The rise of right-wing and fascist parties in many advanced countries and the violations of people's rights and freedoms are the
results of weakening unions and workers' parties. The most effective response to this is to strengthen workers' organizations and defend democracy.
The global solidarity and support of international worker’s unions, from the struggles of workers in Iran in the past year have continued despite the government crackdown on union activities, strengthening the solidarity between Iranian workers and workers around the world. The Left Party of Iran values this support and strives to continue and strengthen it.
The experiences of the labor movement worldwide and in Iran have shown that workers and wage earners cannot effectively defend human rights, even in the most democratic capitalist systems without being united and organized in strong independent unions and worker’s parties. Workers in Iran, like elsewhere, have no choice but to unite, organize in independent unions and organizations, and escalate their struggles to achieve their rights, desires, well-being, and freedom.
This year, the solidarity of the working class and the struggle of the general population for fair wages and rights has intensified. The revolutionary movement "Women, Life, Freedom" has faced severe repression and the efforts to eradicate its achievements have reached a peak, with the regime sparing no means in this regard. The country's atmosphere has become highly securitized. Regime-backed thugs, under direct orders from Khamenei, have escalated fascist attacks against women in recent weeks. These attacks stem from their fear and concern about the potential and strength of the movement, which, despite severe suppression, has transformed its endurance and resistance into a nightmare for the regime. The "Women, Life, Freedom," movement, which enjoys widespread popular support as well as backing from labor unions, civil organizations, and political entities, remains undaunted and continues to fight against the Islamic regime to achieve its demands, with the ultimate goal of overthrowing the regime. The Iranian Left Party has consistently supported this movement.
with the start of another war in the region, the savage slaughter of more than 34,000 defenseless Palestinians, the destruction of Gaza, and the displacement of over two million Palestinians by the right-wing Israeli government following the Hamas attack on October 7th last year, tensions have escalated between the Islamic regime and Israel after the attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria, retaliatory missile strikes by the regime and reciprocal attacks from Israel targeting Iranian military bases in Isfahan. Simultaneously, the risk of military conflict between the two countries and the further escalation of war in the region have intensified, leaving negative economic and political impacts in Iran and increasing concerns among the people. The Left Party of Iran is opposed to any military adventurism, stands against warmongers, and is a proponent of peace in the region!
The Left Party of Iran condemns the systematic escalation of assaults of the regime on the rights of workers and retirees, and the adoption of impoverishing policies that have pushed more than half of the country's population below the poverty line. Our party supports the
struggles of workers for increased wages, retirement benefits, the right to strike and rights of unions, the freedom of imprisoned workers and teachers, as well as other political and civil prisoners, the abolition of temporary work contracts, the elimination of gender discrimination, and all the demands outlined in the 12-article Charter and the 6-article Charter introduced this year by civil and labor organizations. We call for greater unity and solidarity among workers and wage earners and actively stand alongside them in the fight for freedom, equality, social justice and a humane system in Iran.
Long live the international solidarity of workers!
Political-Executive Council of the Left Party of Iran
April 28, 2024
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