A brief history of working class movement in Iran

Formation of Struggles and the Early Workers’ Unions

The first embryos of the independent movement of the working class of Iran were formed in early 20th century. The first workers’ union was established by the print workers in 1905. At that time daily working hours were extremely long and the wages very low The wages that were paid in return for a 14 hours working day could hardly meet workers living costs .Women were earning less than 2/3 of male workers and the children half of women’s wages. Thererfore, obviously the first arena of workers’ fight with the employers was the struggle for wage increase and reduction of hours of work The print workers who were the vanguards of establishing workers’ trade organizations in Iran, during the same year which they established their union, organised Their first strike for the reduction of the working hours from 14 to 10 which ended in workers victory. In that year other strikes occurred including the strikes of the workers of the Fisheries industry for higher wages. A year later the Union of the Tehran Wagons Workers called a strike to protest against dismissal of workers and very low wages .The strike ended successfully for the workers.

Development of the Union Movement

Following the defeat of the Iranian Constitutional Revolution (1905-1911) union activities ebbed temporarily. But once again, after the victory of the workers’ revolution in Russia which had important influences on Iran, the movement flowed .In 1928 the print workers began a strike for reduction of working hours to 8 in a day, increase of wages and the right to collective contracts; they achieved their demands. during the same period some unions appeared in various trades totalling to 10 .In 1920 various unions in Tehran formed .the “Central Council of unions” and later some unions that had been formed in the other cities of Iran joined and this union centre expanded. The “Central Council of Unions” was accepted to the membership of international of the Workers’ unions (PROFINTRN). Mayday was celebrated for the first time in Iran by festivities and street demonstrations in 1922.Until then, 100 Thousand of workers were employed in oil and extraction- industries, textiles, cotton cleaning, silk industry, tanneries, fisheries industry, printing and road construction, etc. Of that number 30 Thousand workers were organised in 20 unions, but until that time the largest section of the industrial proletariat i.e The Iranian oil workers, due to suppressive policies of the Oil Company of England that possessed the oil extraction concession in south of Iran, were deprived of union. During those years workers in various sections struck for Their economical demands a number of times and gained some successes But the workers demands were not only economic, little by little political demands were also included in workers’ demands. The most obvious example, which shows the vanguard position of the Iranian working class in struggle for political freedoms, was the strike of print workers in protest to the banning of publication of a number of newspapers and magazines by the government.As the result of the strike the government was compelled to expire its’ decision and the banned publications were freed again.

Dissolution of Unions under despotic Regime of Reza Shah-e-Pahlavi

With The establishment of the monarchism rule of Pahlavi in Iran and renewed ban on political freedoms, workers’ unions were put under pressure .In 1925 the “Central Council of Unions” was declared illegal and activists of workers’ unions were exposed to suppression and arrest. Nevertheless the activities of the workers unions continued in secret and despite the suppression and strangulation which the regime had imposed on Iran, the Union of the Workers of the Oil Industry was formed by holding its’ first conference which formulated its constitution rules and policy in 1928, The formation of Oil industry Workers’Union was an important step towards The organisation and awakening of the workers in Iran. It had a special importence, because almost half of the industrial workers in Iran were oil workers at that time the Union of Oil Workers commenced organising a strike to improve workers living condition and opposing the renewal of the subjugated oil contract with England as soon it was formed .the strike was to start on first day of May 1929. But a few days earlier some of the activists. and leaders of the Union were arrested and the oil company and the Iranian regime implemented severe suppressive measures to prevent the workers strike Nevertheless the suppression and arrests could not sap the workers will and two days after Mayday the strike commenced .During strike the workers demanded: 15% wage increase, recognition of the union, recognition of Mayday, seven hour work a day for youth under 18, reduction of working hours to 7 during summer, one month paid annual leave, nullification of arbitrary dismissals, participation of workers’ representatives in matters of recruitment and dismissal of workers, accident and indolence insurance, etc. Regime’s oppression forces and we Oil Company of England intensified their suppressive measures 300 workers were arrested. Some were sacked and in that way they ended the strike.

Re-emergence of Unions and Workers Struggle in the Decade Following the Fall of Reza Shah

Since the oil workers strike until the fall of Reza Shah, at the time of arrival of the allied armies in Iran In September 1941, workers’ unions were non- existent. Reza Shah with a policy of intense suppression and strangulation, arrest of worker and union activists and even murdering some of them under herbaria torture, suppressed even the smallest workers’ protest Nevertheless during this period of intense suppression, in rare cases, workers resorted to strike; but in all there were no workers’ movement worthy of consideration in existence. With the absolute Lack of rights – workers were exposed to barbaric exploitation. The fall of Reza Shah and coming to existence of a period of open activities and relevant political freedoms, once again, resulted in formation of workers’ unions .Until this period the number of industrial workers in Iran had increased considerably to 650,000 approximately .A year after the fall of Reza Shah, two union centres had been formed in Iran which covered a number of workers’ unions: the “Council of Workers Unions” and the “Union of Workers and Peasants”. In 1944 the various union centres amalgamated and formed the one and only centre named the”United Central Council of Workers and Toilers Unions”. The number of members of United Council exceeded 200,000 in two years. This period was one of the most intense workers struggle in Iran. Numerous strikes took place in various sectors. The most important of those strikes were: the strike of 9 textile factories in Esfahan in 1942. The workers were demanding a reduction of working hours from 10 to 8 a day and an increase in wages. The strike ended with success Three month later the same workers formed the “Esfahan Workers Union” that had 15,000 members and joined the United Central Council of the Unions. Also during 1946 several strikes took place in the oil industry, the most important of which was the general strike of 14th July 1946 that was suppressed by the government forces. However the workers and Union movement in Iran had developed and became influential to the extent that it became a member of the World Federation of Workers Unions (WFTU). The development of union movement worried the government in Iran and in spite of enacting suppressive measures in that period they thought of other means to control of movement. therefore establishment of government unions was placed on the agenda of the government. During the office of Prime Minister Ghavam a government union named the “Union of Workers’ Syndicates of Iran” (ESKI) was organised which had a very limited influence among workers .another union of this type existed which did not have any role .The objective of organising government unions was only to confront the working class movement and it’s independent unions. Ghavam ‘s cabinet ratified the first labour legislation in Iran under the pressure of workers struggles. From the second half of the 40s’ unions came under more pressure than before and resorted to semi secret activities. A very important event of the worker’s movement during These years was the Great Shrike of the workers in the Oil industry in March 1951 in which practically 30,000 oil refinery workers look part.

The Period of Suppression and strangulation of despotic Regime of the Shah following the CIA Coup in Iran

With the American spying organisation ‘s coup against Mosadegh ‘s government in Iran in August 1953 independent worker and union activities were practically prohibited. The government unions which SAVAK (security and information organisation of the country) played the main role in them neither were defending workers’ interests nor the workers had any interest in them. In that period with The removal of all Iranian peoples’ democratic freedoms and rights, workers were deprived of independent formations and subject to savage exploitation The regime of Mohamad Reza Shah would severely suppress any workers protest .It would imprison worker activists and in some cases such as Jahan -e- Chitt (a textile complex) where workers had resorted to marching and protest the government fired at them. Four workers were killed and some injured .During these years a number of workers who were active in our organisation’s ranks were also executed by the regime. in spite of all that, in the period after the coup until the overthrow of the Shah, in conditions of repression and suppression, workers did not relent from fighting to realise their rightful demands. In the years 1957-58 a number of strikes took place in protest to low wages in the oil industry, Shahie Textile and Esfahan Wool Textiles, lime and brick works, etc .In early seventies (1971) some strikes took place in the textile industry and motor works , etc .From mid- seventies’ worker protests intensified to an unprecedented Level. Workers rose up in struggle against lack of rights, suppression, savage exploitation and dire conditions of living. A point that must be stressed is that workers had the main role in the overthrow of the Shah’s regime in the 1979 revolution. In the beginning of September 1979 Tehran Oil Refinery workers resorted to strike .Immediately workers in Abadan, Shiraz, Tabriz and Esfahan Refineries joined the strike. The strike of the oil industry workers in conditions that the regime was in crisis and the ascending mass movement of protest against the monarchist rule, was a deceisive blow to the Shah’s regime .with the strike of oil industry workers, workers in other sectors such as textiles , motor works, cement, steel works, coal and copper mines and workers of other various sectors in Iran joined the strike In this period strike committees are formed in factories and various production and service establishments; and strike co-ordinating committees organised to progress the fight against the monarchist regime and the ruling class Tbe workers general and countrywide strike blows the deceisive strike to the Shah’s regime and it gets overthrown by the 11th February 1979 rmed uprising. In the ventricle of these revolutionary situations and from the strike committees, workers’ councils appear. Workers in most factories and large production establishments formed the factory councils .These councils assumed workers control in many cases especially in establishments where capitalists had run away .in this period, workers utilising various methods and forms fought a number of struggles to realise their demands The level of worker’s awareness was heightened considerably at this stage in Iran.

Suppression of Workers Movement and Removal of the Workers Council organizations by the Islamic Republic

That period did not last long. Approximately a little more than two years after the overthrow of monarchist regime, the Islamic Republic removed all political freedoms and democratic rights of the people .1t rose to suppress the workers and their struggles savagely From 1981 till today hundreds of workers and activists of the worker’s movement have been executed by the regime .Hundreds have been condemned to long term imprisonment A large group of workers have been expelled from factories and another group who are being chased have sought refuge in other countries. Workers in Iran are deprived of any kind of independent organisation. Those which exist in the factories are Islamic councils and associations that not only do not defend workers’ interests but are practically the organs of suppression and spying of the regime in factories .In spite of all the pressure and suppression that workers have faced in these several years, which is in fact unprecedented through the whole period of the life of the workers movement in Iran, nevertheless, in the same period, hundreds of strikes have taken place in various sectors and workers have been successful in some instances .It is obvious that, no pressure and suppression can stop workers who are under most severe pressure fighting .But it is a fact that economic and political pressures which are put on the working class of Iran, lack of any kind of independent class organization and merciless suppression have all caused the exposure of the working class to the most merciless exploitation, suppression and oppression .The Iranian working class will continue the struggle against all this oppression and pressure, but asks it’s worker brothers and sisters throughout the world to assist the working class of Iran, to pressure and expose the regime in the international arena and international workers organisations.