افق روشن
www.ofros.com

به: وزیر محترم اداره کار و امور اجتماعی آقای شیخ الاسلام

نیکوفرد، رخشان، احمدی، حیدری مهر                                                                     پنجشنبه ۵ خرداد ١٣٩٠

Dear Mr. Minister, With Salutation,
We, the signees of this presented letter - the members of the board of governors of the “Neishekar-Haft-Tappeh” labor union - have come to the need of informing you, via seeing you as an accountable person, demanding you to find an immediate solution for a set of problems, which, as a response to our very legitimate rights-demanding, have been caused by those in charge within the government and the judiciary system; and have also continuously imposed a tremendous level of pressure, devastation, and instability on our families’ lives.
Here, we, respectively, inform you that the Neishekar-Haft-Tappeh company - located in the town of Shoosh - due to a number of elements including a certain changes in the government’s policy; a sudden decrease of costume and boarding fees; sugar-importing, immaturely and above the actual (standard) need; a lack of governmental support over the sugar-production-industry; and so on, is facing a catastrophic situation, by which, it has already been five months that the employer in charge has not paid the salary of about 5000 hardworking laborers of this company. It is also important to add that all types of works and jobs, in this company, regardless of their rank and place, are categorized as hard, dangerous, and health-damaging labors - even at the temperature of plus 50, the laborers are expected to do their jobs as best as possible.
As a response to workers’ demand of gaining their very rights, those in charge of the company have excused that because of certain problems, mentioned above; the company is on the edge of bankruptcy. Hence, the workers began to worry and followed up the matter, but, unfortunately, there was no result. The continuance of such a circumstance – the lack of wage-payment, the economic pressure of financial cost of living, and a sense of being worried about a possible unemployment – enriched the workers’ anger to oppose this imposed-situation upon them, and, therefore, through a letter, signed by more than 2000 workers to the head-office of labor of the Khoozestaan province, pursuing their guild-oriented problems, demanded not only the expiration of the Islamic Labor Association but also, the foundation of an Independent labor union, by which, after receiving the official agreement from the mentioned office, they began to establish their union. However, unfortunately, the labor-office of town of Shoosh, following orders from the intelligence and security principles of the town and also acting completely against the pre-mutual-agreement with the head-office of labor of the Khoozestaan province, prohibited the union first election process and, as well, addressed illegalization of the union itself. Despite all of these, the workers in order to prevent an already-constant-negligent of the Islamic Labor Association toward life-condition and wellbeing of the workers and their families, and also according to both all the International laws and conventions, and the agreement of the head-office of labor of the Khoozestaan province, independently attempted to hold an election, and, as its result, elected us – we, the signees of this letter - as the members of board of governors. Though, unfortunately, the labor office of the town of Shooshtar not only did not show any level of effort of recognizing our union but also, hesitated to even authorize it, and even worse, categorized it as an illegitimate action, according to the labor law. This prevention has happened despite the fact that in our country there are many employer unions and they are indeed very active, and both you and his Excellency Mr. President have frequently shown your entire support upon employers’ right for creating different types of associations and unions enforcing their direct cause and benefit. Thus, surprisingly, what is really the reason, in spite of a number of agreements from the International Labor Organization side, also credited by the Islamic Republic of Iran, workers should not be allowed to possess an independent labor organization (syndicate)?! Are workers pursuing a goal different than the goal employers are pursuing through their unions and organizations? What independent labor organizations are looking for; only gaining their guild-rights, which different levels of governmental and judiciary principles has not only criminalized its foundation, but also have laid off or imprisoned those workers who have attempted to unionize themselves to achieve their very and legitimate rights. We, the members of board of governors of the workers’ union of Neishekar-Haft-Tappeh Company, since the very beginning of this union foundation, have been prosecuted by the judiciary system and, by now, all of us have served or are serving between six months to one year in jail, just because of our union activities. Furthermore, even after being released from prison, due to writing a statement, which was not anything illegal but only doing one of our routine union acts, we all were re-summoned by the main prosecutor of the town of Shoosh - following a report from the security and intelligent office - and became obliged to sign a legal recognizance not having any more union-oriented activities at any level at all. Your Excellency, Mr. Minister, Your ministry, in the Labor International Assembly, when once was objected by the this institution for oppressing independent labor organizations, responded that (according to Mr. Habib Tavakol-Zaadeh’s interview - Deputy of Labor Minister in International Matters - with Iran newspaper on 13th of Ordibehesht 1389) the Neishekar-Haft-Tappeh company workers’ records have been revised and they all have been granted pardon and have been released from jail. These false words were delivered while we had already served a complete period of our imprisonment-sentence, and even now, are still being punished. Today that most of us have been out of prison for about one and a half year, yet, the unfair subject of our laying off has not been dismissed and we have not been able to return to our jobs, by which, we are jobless and economically are experiencing one of the worst living conditions. By now, all our follow ups and contacts to the official offices and principles have ended up in no result. Consequently, we demand your Excellency, as the minister of labor serving a governement that claims fairness and justice on its socio-political agenda, to act for compensating about this obvious and severe injustice that has been applied upon us, with not only returning us to our jobs and paying our arrears salary but also, assist us of regaining our basic social rights both as workers who have spent a long time of their lives working for and enriching the Neishekar-Haft-Tappeh company, and, as well, as common and rightful citizens. With Respect,

1. Fereydoon Nekoofard
2. Reza Rakhshaan
3. Jalil Ahmadi
4. Mohammad Heydari Mehr
24 Mai 2011
Copies of this letter are also sent to:
International Labor Organization (ILO),
International Union of Food Workers (IUF)
And
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)