The five-year jail term for the Iranian labor leader Mansour Ossanlou was upheld today and Ossanlou was transferred to the general ward of Evin prison.
Mansour Ossanlou, 48, was Iran’s bus drivers’ union leader. He was active in promoting better working conditions and increased wages for Iranian bus drivers. Ossanlou, referred to as Iran’s Lech Walesa, was arrested and jailed last August in Tehran
Showing posts with label trade union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade union. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, August 13, 2007
Attacks on Unionists
Iranian intelligence ministry agents arrested five members of Tehran's bus drivers' union after they visited the home of their imprisoned chief Mansour Ossalou. ISNA identified the detainees as Ebrahim Madadi, Yagoub Salimi, Davoud Razavi and Ghojari and Homayoun Jaberi.
Ossalou has been sentenced to four years in prison for acting against national security and to an additional year for disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic.
Rights group Amnesty International, the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation held protests in European capitals on Thursday calling for his release.
They also called for the release of Mahmoud Salehi, a prominent trade unionist and former head of the bakers' union in Iran's Kordestan province, who was rearrested in April after serving previous jail terms.
Ossalou has been sentenced to four years in prison for acting against national security and to an additional year for disseminating propaganda against the Islamic Republic.
Rights group Amnesty International, the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation held protests in European capitals on Thursday calling for his release.
They also called for the release of Mahmoud Salehi, a prominent trade unionist and former head of the bakers' union in Iran's Kordestan province, who was rearrested in April after serving previous jail terms.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
US and Israel to Push for Iran’s Financial Isolation
US Treasury official Stuart Levy met with Israeli foreign minister Tzipi Livini in Tel Aviv this week to review their joint efforts in financially isolatate of Iran. Some of the world’s major financial institutions have already severed ties with Iran. The German banking powerhouse, Deutche Bank, was the latest among major European banks to stop doing business with Iran last week.
Levy, who carries the hefty title of Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, was in Berlin in late July for meetings with German officials on the country’s business ties to Iran. Germany will also be suspending its export insurance coverage for Iran. Without such coverage, German manufacturers will be forced to give up all future contracts with Iran.
Levy’s work is conducted outside the framework of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran and is intended to bypass China’s growing reluctance to support further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. China is growing its already-huge volume of trade with Iran and seems not willing to support a third round of UN sanctions against Iran.
There are, however, strong signs that the powerful bazaaris and businessmen in Iran are extremely concerned about Levy’s efforts which have practically cut them off from the world’s financial markets. Their personal wealth has also been affected. The European banks are increasingly asking their major Iranian accountholders to close their accounts in their banks. Dubai banks are reportedly considering to do same. The wealthy Iranians who do not possess any dual citizenship are facing a difficult time to find a secure place to invest or park their cash.
Israeli foreign minister spokesman Mark Regev said before Levy/Livini meeting got underway that Iran must understand that business as usual cannot continue while it is pursuing its nuclear program.
Levy, who carries the hefty title of Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, was in Berlin in late July for meetings with German officials on the country’s business ties to Iran. Germany will also be suspending its export insurance coverage for Iran. Without such coverage, German manufacturers will be forced to give up all future contracts with Iran.
Levy’s work is conducted outside the framework of the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran and is intended to bypass China’s growing reluctance to support further sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program. China is growing its already-huge volume of trade with Iran and seems not willing to support a third round of UN sanctions against Iran.
There are, however, strong signs that the powerful bazaaris and businessmen in Iran are extremely concerned about Levy’s efforts which have practically cut them off from the world’s financial markets. Their personal wealth has also been affected. The European banks are increasingly asking their major Iranian accountholders to close their accounts in their banks. Dubai banks are reportedly considering to do same. The wealthy Iranians who do not possess any dual citizenship are facing a difficult time to find a secure place to invest or park their cash.
Israeli foreign minister spokesman Mark Regev said before Levy/Livini meeting got underway that Iran must understand that business as usual cannot continue while it is pursuing its nuclear program.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Labor Unions Under Fire
Mahmoud Osanloo, head of the Workers’ Syndicate of Tehran Bus Company, was abducted near his house on 10 July by plainclothesmen, presumably from the Ministry of Intelligence, and has not been heard from since.
Since Ahmadinejad’s election in 2005, his government has begun to directly control union activities in Iran. Although Iran is a member of ILO, the Geneva-based International Labor Organization, but the government has consistently violated ILO rules.
Ahmadinejad’s Ministry of Labor routinely opposes and suppresses strikes by trade unions, the pillar of ILO regulations. The Ministry even sends its own official as labor representatives to ILO meetings.
The country is facing high unemployment and low wages but the labor unions are not allowed to openly oppose the government’s policies or take direct action to safeguard their members’ interests.
ILNA, the news agency closely associated with the labor movement in Iran, was also banned by the government. The ninth government is proving to be one of the staunchest opponents of the labor movement in Iran.
Since Ahmadinejad’s election in 2005, his government has begun to directly control union activities in Iran. Although Iran is a member of ILO, the Geneva-based International Labor Organization, but the government has consistently violated ILO rules.
Ahmadinejad’s Ministry of Labor routinely opposes and suppresses strikes by trade unions, the pillar of ILO regulations. The Ministry even sends its own official as labor representatives to ILO meetings.
The country is facing high unemployment and low wages but the labor unions are not allowed to openly oppose the government’s policies or take direct action to safeguard their members’ interests.
ILNA, the news agency closely associated with the labor movement in Iran, was also banned by the government. The ninth government is proving to be one of the staunchest opponents of the labor movement in Iran.
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