On the occasion of May 1, International Workers’ Day, Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) and leader of MEK Iran, gave a speech broadcasted on YouTube in which she called for freedom and equality.
According to Rajavi, the arrival of World Labor Day always deserves best wishes to all workers across Iran, despite the fact that the coronavirus epidemic has made life miserable for workers. This day announces the end of exploitation and inequality.
As it was shared by the MEK Iran, during the coronavirus crisis, 1.5 million lost their jobs and 6 million people were harmed in their profession.
Despite the hard situation, Iranian workers, most of them members of MEK Iran, have not relaxed their strikes and protests. They have taken other unprecedented measures, including the frequent and continuous protests by municipal workers and the great strike carried out at by miners in three towns in the province of Kerman against privatizations and their working conditions.
The workers’ deep bond with the resistance
In her speech, Rajavi has pointed out that the end of the privatization plan is one of the central demands of Iranian workers protesting in many production units.
According to the NCRI President-elect, the creation of free and independent unions away from any interference and domination of the unions created by the regime is another of the demands of the Iranian workers.
Linking the protests and struggles of the Iranian working class with the uprisings and resistance of all the people of Iran to overthrow the regime, is the major demand of the Iranian workers.
Up to date, thousands of workers, some of them members of MEK Iran, actively participate in uprisings, create resistance units or support their activities.
With their uprisings Iranian workers have demonstrated that they are totally opposed to anti-worker religious tyranny.
Iranian workers opposed to religious tyranny
Over the past year, through continuous flow of strikes, demonstrations, protests, the Iranian workers, supported by the largest Iranian opposition organization, MEK Iran, have repeatedly insisted on the following demands:
– Releasing the workers from Khamenei prisons.
– Return of dismissed workers.
– Ensuring job security for workers
– Converting temporary contracts into permanent contracts
– Creation of free and independent organizations.
– Having the right to strike.
– Free health care.
– Dissolution of intermediary companies
– Signing of direct contracts with the government or the main employer.
– Cancellation of all debts of bankrupt factories and companies. In this way workers do not have to repay the debts of the owners of these companies with more suffering and work.
– Unemployment benefits for all workers without discrimination
– Proportional increase in wages compared to means of subsistence
The fulfillment of these essential demands of Iranian workers, depends on the overthrow of the clerical regime.
Maryam Rajavi claimed that the immense power, capable of overthrowing religious fascism lies in worker’s struggle.
“This united struggle of the workers, linked to organized resistance, resistance units and the Freedom Army will achieve victory in solidarity with the uprising of peasants, workers and other poor sectors of Iran,” said Maryam Rajavi.