Socialist Appeal - Picket in London demands independent workers' unions in Iran

Picket in London demands independent workers' unions in Iran

By Iranian Workers' Solidarity Network

Monday, 16 March 2009

An enthusiastic group of British trade unionists, Socialist Appeal members and IWSN activists, gathered outside the Iranian regime's embassy in London at 12:30 on March 14. After assembling on the other side of the road, where pickets are normally held, the protesters moved to the pavement outside the embassy to chant slogans like "Free all political prisoners in Iran!", "Independent workers' unions now!" and "Iranian workers are not alone!". The pickets even tried, with some success, to chant "Kargaran-e iran tanha nistand" ("Iranian workers are not alone!").

Towards the end of the picket one of the comrades stepped on the doorstep of the embassy - provoking a panicky and angry rebuke from the guard inside. The diplomatic police then arrived to reassure the scared staff of the embassy.

This picket was part of a series of demonstrations and meetings being held across three continents expressing solidarity with the workers of Iran in the final days of the Iranian year, when workers normally have to protest and go on strike to exert pressure on the bosses and the regime to pay their New Year bonuses and unpaid wages. The struggles this year (1387) have been much more widespread than those of the past few years.

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