Re-post from Shahrokh Zamani Action Campaign
The following is the translation of the Khuzestan Vanguard Socialist Workers’ Cell’s statement about the protest of Arkan Saless Excavation’s workers in southern Iran.
Let’s actively support the gathering of Arkan Saless Excavation’s workers
Workers of Arkan Saless Excavations,
The gathering of our dear Arkan Saless colleagues in Gachsaran and Ahvaz is a display of the voice of protest against the oppression and injustice [perpetrated] against workers, and we support every voice that is raised by workers and in their support.
Although we have stated many times in the past that merely posing trade union demands is not enough, and that we should ask about the reasons they were ignored, not taking part [in them] and sitting them out is not the answer and leaves the field open for [our] enemies and appeasers. Taking part in these gatherings, besides raising our voice, is also an arena for posing questions and advancing the consciousness of our workmates.
The question is: why shouldn’t our demands be met? Making demands like this on behalf of any opinion group, as far as the problems of us workers are concerned, represents the common interests that we share as a large social group, and being indifferent to it would actually ignore our own lives and those of our wives and children. Don’t we want to raise wages? Don’t we want our living and working conditions to improve? Don’t we want to be treated like human beings? So let’s join these gatherings and have a united voice. We should ask our workmates in Tehran: where are you? We gather here, in the 50-degree heat of the South, but we don’t see any co-operation from you. You belong next to us. Our strength is in our unity and numbers. This will not be our first and last gathering. Let’s try to hold more impressive and more widespread gatherings in the future. We hope to see the rally on June 2nd wherever it was held.
Khuzestan Vanguard Socialist Workers’ Cell
Organiser of KVSWC: Comrade Martin.
2 June 2024
A brief look at the recent gathering of Arkan Saless workers
