With unity and solidarity marching towards the celebration of International Workers' Day

Call for organizing and participating in celebrating May 1^st independently

With unity and solidarity marching towards the celebration of International Workers' Day

May First, International Labor Day, is fast approaching. Labor Day, Our day, is a day of workers' unity and solidarity around the world. We, workers and wage earners need unity and solidarity more than ever this year. Wherever we are, we should try to voice our demands by organizing special Labor Day ceremonies and participating in them as widely as possible. Let us make a pact to achieve our goals and restore our rights by strengthening our unity and solidarity against the tyranny imposed by the oppressive rulers. The rights and achievements that were the result of the struggles of our brothers and sisters in the past.

Experience has shown that it is not possible to maintain and promote the achievements of labor movements anywhere in the world without continuing organized struggles. That is why the great leaders of the labor movements have always emphasized the significance of the unity, solidarity and organization of the working class at the national and international levels.

In the past fifty years the dominance of economic neoliberalism in the world has suppressed the trade union rights of workers and wage earners. The situation is the same in our country. Workers need to repel this uncontrolled aggression of capitalists and governments implementing economic neoliberalism. The widespread support of world trade unions for trade union rights and persecuted trade union activists in Iran over the past decades is a clear and valuable demonstration of the solidarity of the global labor movement. We should also try to build this solidarity in our country.

Comrades, workers and laborers!

You have had a difficult year, far worse than ever. The unbridled aggression of the capitalists and the government following neoliberal policies devastated your trade union rights and your livelihood, both employed and retired. Wages and pensions went below the poverty line and the value of your meager wages has halved due to the fall in the value of the national currency. They shortened the duration of temporary contracts again to put pressure on you and to avoid paying part of your salary. Your job, livelihood and social security were taken away more than before. The persecution of your activists intensified and the firing of workers increased. At least one million of you lost your jobs due to the corona virus epidemics and most of you were denied unemployment benefits.

At the same time, you have surpassed all previous years in terms of protest and struggle. Nearly 5,000 protests, strikes and rallies took place to raise wages and pensions, against unemployment and temporary employment and contract work, against privatization and corruption, against the repression and persecution of labor leaders and activists and for compliance with the corona virus protocols. More important than this is the formation of a significant number of independent organizations by teachers and retirees and your understanding of the importance of an independent organization in achieving your demands. You must continue your struggle on Labor Day this year. It is only through solidarity and unity that you can achieve your rightful demands. Your wide-spread participation in the ceremony on May 1^st is an opportunity to realize and show this solidarity.

Authoritarianism and censorship is one of the most important obstacles to organizing and meeting your demands. Defend the struggle against tyranny and censorship and the struggles of other freedom fighting groups and social movements such as the struggle of women against discrimination and inequality. Support and actively participate in the joint struggles of labor activists and teachers' organizations on May 1^st for the release of civil and political prisoners. In the current situation, solidarity between progressive and democratic forces and movements to bring down tyranny is as important as the unity among the working class.

The government is planning for another fake election. Use the independent ceremony on May 1^st to expose the rulers' intentions to confiscate your votes and advance their anti-workers' intentions, as well as to expose the slogans and promises made dozens of times by the candidates appointed by the regime. Participate in the protests and like retirees, chant the slogan "No more lies, No more ruins, No more votes".

Condemn and fight the government's approach to the covid-19. Put pressure on the government to provide the mass vaccination of people for free. Condemn and call for the lifting of economic sanctions that incite recession and unemployment as well as giving the government an excuse to cover up its inefficiency and corruption.

Let us make this year's Labor Day a day of protest against the government and its policies and treatment of workers and toilers, against the below-poverty wages, against unemployment and job insecurity, against repression and imprisonment of union leaders, and to abolish corruption and injustice imposed by the government.

Long live May 1^st, the International Workers' Solidarity

Long live the solidarity of the working class

Office of Labor, (Left Party of Iran (People's Fadaian)

Friday, April 16, 2021