29/1/1391
Long Live the
International Day of Labor
Forward
to a more widespread Unity in actions
Comrades Worker, let us
make the history of our class struggle, the guiding light of our
future combats
Throughout the 200
years of international labors’ struggle, and the 100 years of the
Iranian labors movement, specially, the last 33 years period that is
still continuing, we have had many victories and defeats, ebb and
flows in our struggles. Let us, in the few days remaining to The May
Day, and even after that, as well as holding a glorious celebration
of the International Labor Day, which is the symbol of our class
solidarity, with all our strength and unity, wherever we are, review
and criticize our strength and weaknesses. Specially, review and
criticism of the struggle of the past 10 years in Iran could clearly
show us the problems of and obstacles in the path of the growth and
obtaining victory. It is in this manner that we can find solutions
to overcome them. We should ask ourselves, why the Vahed Bus
Company Workers and Haft-Tape Sugar Company Workers Syndicates, after
a good and strong start, were not able to reach a permanent
achievement? Or, Why, despite widespread and continuous strikes in
Alborz Carpet Co., Kiyan Tire Co., Dena Tire Co., Pipe and Rolling
Steel Companies in Saveh, Ahvaz, and Abadan cities, Petro-chemical
Workers, workers in the Asalouyeh Industrial and Oil Region, Spinning
and Weaving factories in Kashan, Ghazvin, Sanandaj, and Kermanshah,
Metal Industry and Machine Parts Workers in Tehran, Iron Melting
Units of Esfehan and Ardebil, and hundreds of hundreds more strikes,
did not end in attaining their demands?
Comrades! You are well
aware that to achieve our demands in past 10 years, we have held
thousands of strikes, hundreds of demonstrations, tens of blockades
of roads, and countless sittings in front of the Parliament,
Presidential Palace, City Halls, States’ Capitals, Ministry of
Labor, Company and Factory offices. However, what we received, other
than piece meal victories, was more firing, more delays in receiving
our pays, continuous devaluation of our labor and buying power, more
exploitation, more persecutions and oppression, and more prevention
of establishment of our independent organizations. In turn, the
State and Employers, without any hesitations, have continued with
their plans against us. Even, at times that we were able to obtain a
small pay- raise, or some other petit demands, our class enemies have
forced such an inflation and price rises upon us that prevented us to
taste the sweetness of our victories. Now, in turn:
What is to be done?
Historical experience
has shown that Capitalism and its States fear hundred times more of a
planned, under a well-organized leadership strike, or demonstration,
or sit-in, however small in numbers, than a widespread, spontaneous
street demonstration of millions strong, or, the riots that have
resulted in the change of cabinets. So, based on historical
experience, our remedy is:
Unity and
Organization!
The first question is,
with this entire struggle, why the conditions are getting worst? The
answer is simple. With all these efforts, the enemy has more
resolution in its Confrontational efforts. The next question is, why
despite the continuous internal and international labor protests, the
enemy (Capitalism and its States) not only don not retreat, but, they
exceedingly accelerate and widen their anti-labor plans? Such as,
Temporary Contracts, firings, delayed payments of wages,
elimination of subsidies and benefits, privatization of health care,
privatization of education, and … The answer to this question is,
also, from the experience gained through 200 years of struggle
between the two classes, capitalists know that the spontaneous and
sporadic struggles of labor, without a revolutionary plan and an
overall organization, no matter how widespread and severe, not only
does not result in victory, but, it will bring more despair and
frustration in the ranks of the workers. At the same time, during
the last 100 years, with an organized plan, the enemy has been able
to bring the workers’ organizations in the path of compromise,
creating divisions in the ranks of various labor organizations and
dominating some of them, and using them against the others. This is
the reason why the capitalist states continue with their anti-labor
plans, even, when the workers’ struggles are still ongoing in the
streets. Because, they have no fear of such sporadic and
disorganized street struggles. They fear more from a small, but
organized strike in the work place, than a disorganized street
demonstration.
Comrade workers! Labor
activists! With waiting for the rise of perfect labor organizations,
while paddling through the waves of spontaneity, we are only serving
the capitalists. We must endeavor in the path of revolutionary
organization of workers’ struggles away from all spontaneity and
empty slogans.
Let us not forget
If any factory, or
office, or neighborhood had a small, organized foundation with a
clear agenda, the Islamic regime of capitalists could not have
executed the “Elimination of Subsidies Plan”. They could have
never give support to the employers in the deferment of wages. They
could not have, directly or indirectly, enforced the mass firings of
workers. They could not have substituted formal employment for
temporary contracts.
I also agree that
suppression to such high intensity has a deep negative impact on
workers’ struggle. But, the intensity of suppression cannot be the
cause of failure in victorious struggles. On the contrary, other than
showing the degree of fear of capitalists from the working class, it
can be the cause for exploring and finding new ways of struggle.
Here, we should ask ourselves, what does the working class possesses
that makes capitalism so fearful of it, and intensifies its
suppression against the labor? We should acquire what the capitalists
are most fearful of. I believe it to be the organization of labor in
the direction of class solidarity and nationwide struggle (meaning,
Unity and Organization). We must be aware that the capitalists and
its favorite Islamic Republic Regime are fulfilling their class
interests, tasks, and duties by naked, systematic suppression of the
working class. So, demanding the stop to this suppression, not only
is not considered as Class Struggle, but, it is a submission to class
reconciliation. Also, not developing the struggle with the excuse of
the intensity of suppression is nothing but submission to pacifism,
because, suppression of struggle by all means in class struggle is in
the nature of ruling class, which, no moral entreat will change this
fact. The only means of stopping the suppression is to find new
ways of organization based on our principals and to propagate it
class-wide, along with disclosure of the elements and means of the
suppression. This means, our duties as workers are to point out to
the suppressions in order to expose the different elements of
capitalism and raise the consciousness of the masses to remove all of
their delusions of capitalism, as well as, discovering new methods
to organize and unite the different layers of the working class.
This is done through propaganda and agitation, which, at the same
time of acquiring the power of class solidarity, dulls the enemy’s
tools of suppression.
Note that if during
the Vahed Bus Company Workers Syndicate, or, Haft-tape Sugar Factory
Workers Syndicate, or any other section of workers strike was
accompanied with solidarity strikes, or protesting actions of other
factories and branches, capitalism and its State would not have been
able to suppress their struggles.
Then, we can conclude
that any time, when workers coordinate and unite their strikes or
protests, or, support those sections of the workers that have started
a protest and strike with unity in action, more permanent victories
will be achieved. We call this type of action, a unified and
coordinated class struggle.
We should also note
that a unified and coordinated class action does not suddenly appear
from the sky. There can be no productive struggle without
organization. Especially in Iran that the capitalists and their State
will go to any length to block the first step needed to achieve the
future victories of the working class. So, we have to accept that the
only way for any, and all labor activist, who are conscious to the
necessity of class organization, and without regards to cult of
personalities, fame and individualism, or Theory of Survival, must
without delay, start forming the workers organization within their
place of employment and neighborhood, without regards to the size of
the organization. They may work towards organization of other workers
after their own organization is established. These revolutionary
organizations can without any hesitations and entanglement in
commonplace demands of less conscious workers may quickly move in
solidarity and ties with other organizations of the same kind,
walking the path of unified and widespread struggles. It is the
unity of above mentioned organization that will result to a
widespread national organizational movement. The pressure exerted
from the organized struggle of these organizations dulls the tools of
the suppression, and will force the capitalists and their State to
admit to organizations, such as Unions and Syndicates. It is
foreseeable that the capitalists would intensify their suppression
and incarcerations, because, they become aware that some of the labor
activists have found the resolution to unity and organization. But,
we must be aware that this intensification of suppression will be the
proof the correct path we have chosen. With the growth of these
organizations, the capitalist will see their demise, therefore,
opening the way for the establishment of Syndicates and Unions.
Such action is the only
correct answer to the current problems of the working class.
Organization and
Unity is the only remedy!
Forward to a wider
international solidarity of workers!
Shahrokh Zamani-
Tabriz Central Prison
17-03-2012
