Tehran bus drivers Union sends a message to French unions

Iran Press News: Translation by Banafsheh Zand-Bonazzi.

The Board of Directors of the bus drivers union of Tehran sent a heartrending message to French Unions asking for solidarity and assistance in freeing the 1200 drivers who were arrested after going on strike.

The message reads:

"We the workers of the Tehran and suburbs bus drivers union have tried time and time again to create an independent union for ourselves and have met with endless oppression. Our workers and drivers who are on strike have constantly been attacked, savagely beaten and threatened and each time, after being hauled off by the security forces, they were released only to be forced to go back to work, only to return to humiliation and dehumanizing methods of work. The wives and children of our board of directors were forced out of their homes and were taken away for incarceration. READ MORE

Many of the members of our board of directors, accompanied by more than a thousand workers and employees of the transportation unit were arrested and were taken to either Evin Prison or the Ministry of Intelligence and Security. Some of our workers were even fired and in order to return to work, they were forced to make written statements expressing remorse in their union activates and guild involvement. Those workers who were in fact released were prevented from returning to work and their families have been driven to privation in this cold winter.

Since all of our country’s media is under total censure and we ourselves are facing huge oppression and cruelty, we appeal to you to propel our cries, in any way possible, to your authorities, in order to assist us in calling for the release of our 1200 imprisoned and all others who have been detained for gathering, protesting and uniting for better living conditions, from their jobs and are under unspeakable pressure.”