These days, there are many articles in the official newspapers addressing the livelihood problems of workers, sometimes conducting interviews with certain faces and retirees. The reflection of the unbearable conditions of hardworking individuals in the official newspapers, which were accustomed to denying or downplaying workers’ issues, is evidence of the progress of workers and the imposition of their voices on prevailing conditions. Additionally, labour activists and workers, through participation in the virtual space and newspapers, have contributed in various forms to furthering these demands.
In these notes, a significant and increasing gap between income and expenses is addressed, along with the shrinking tables of hardworking individuals and the decreasing purchasing power of the people to the point where even food security is a challenge. It is further mentioned that despite the government’s slogans of controlling inflation and economic growth, it is practically helpless in providing appropriate responses to the problems. Furthermore, there is no attention to workers’ unions and tripartism according to the conventions of the International Labour Organization, and even wages do not increase according to the existing legal procedures.
The reality is that these discussions are entirely futile without addressing one of the most significant roots of the problems, which is the severe suppression of all independent organizations. Is there any workers’ union that has emerged from the depths of workers without government-employer intervention and has actively participated in the process of tripartism in a democratic space, and is now subject to ‘neglect’? In recent years, a handful of independent organizations, including the Union of Workers of a Single Company, the Union of Workers of Haft Tappeh Sugar, Guilds of Teachers, Independent Pensioner Organizations, Writers’ Association, etc., have been formed despite numerous systematic obstacles and various forms of suppression. Many of their members have either been imprisoned or expelled and are still in detention, perpetually under the surveillance and control of oppressive security forces.
Only through the expansion and active role of such organizations, and with the maximum involvement and support of workers and toilers, can the government and other employers, both small and large, be compelled to recognize our rights in general, including within the framework of the agreements of the International Labour Organization in various areas such as children, women, and the economic conditions of workers.
It is evident that so-called workers’ organizations like the Islamic Labour Council, Workers’ House, Assembly of Representatives, and others do not put pressure on the government because the individuals at their helm are themselves part of the ruling establishment and have never been democratically elected. However, independent workers and activists know that these representatives do not have a workers’ backbone and cannot gain the trust of the workers.
If we want to save millions from unemployment and malnutrition, if we want to improve the conditions of all toilers, if we want to address social abnormalities like prostitution, theft, homelessness, family murders, addiction, and all their roots, namely exploitation, unemployment, poverty, instability, job insecurity, and various forms of discrimination and multiple injustices, we must declare without hesitation that the promises and threats of governments, officials, and workers’ puppet representatives will not bring anything to the workers. We are distrustful of all power structures, and we know that the era of complacency has come to an end.Our youth are becoming more determined every day, and everything we have achieved so far has only come through demonstrating the real power of workers, solidarity and unity of all toilers and oppressed people, as well as organizing and seizing the streets. Therefore, talking about improving wages and conditions for toilers without emphasizing the need for independent and widespread workers’ organization and without striving to actualize our fundamental rights, including gathering, protesting, striking, and taking to the streets as channels for advancing workers’ demands, will be futile and even misleading.
Reza Shahabi
03/11/2023
Evin Prison
