January 19, 2010 -- Labor Notes -- Iran has seen incredible tumult in the last few months, with massive
street protests challenging the government, even as the US and allied
nations continue to threaten the Iranian government under President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
But most people in the US know little about Iranian society, and
especially its working class. Iranian workers have been organising for
more than a century but today largely have to function in a secretive,
underground way. It is therefore very fortunate that we have obtained
an interview with a labour organiser (whom we shall call Homayoun
Poorzad), who is based in Tehran, the capital city of Iran.
Labor Notes: How has the Iranian labour movement fared under the Ahmadinejad regime?
Homayoun
Poorzad: This has been the most anti-labour government of the Islamic
Republic over the last 30 years. The 1979 revolution was not regressive
in every sense; it nationalised 70 per cent of the economy and passed a
labour law that was one of the best in terms of limiting the firing of
workers. This is a target for change by capitalists, both private and
those in the government bureaucracy.