Only a few days remain until the first of May, International Workers’ Day. The working class in Iran is approaching the first of May under circumstances where the ruling regime is in the midst of economic turmoil and engulfed in seemingly insurmountable crises. Amidst all this, the Iranian working class shoulders the burden of the regime’s economic crisis more than anyone else. Millions of workers are unemployed, deprived of unemployment insurance, with no hope of finding work, struggling with poverty and hunger. Millions of employed workers are deprived of fair wages and are living in deprivation. Alongside intensifying repression and curtailing personal and social freedoms, the Islamic Republic has chosen to impose wages below the poverty line and undermine the standard of living, pushing the lower strata of society towards economic hardship as a supposed solution to the crisis.
At a time when the courageous resistance of women against compulsory hijab is underway in the streets, as part of the Women-life-freedom revolution, it is crucial that workers’ activists, socialist activists, and pioneers of the women’s and student movements join forces to make the first of May celebrations as glorious as possible. The utmost cooperation and unity of action among different tendencies within the labor movement are necessary to organize the broadest possible events for International Workers’ Day.
On the first of May, it must be declared to the capitalist class and their supporting regime that they cannot save themselves from the vortex of this crisis by imposing its heavy burden on the working class and militarizing society. The demands for the freedom of political prisoners must be prioritized, and the struggle for wage increases commensurate with the real inflation rate and the cost of living must continue. Emphasis must be placed once again on the fundamental demands of the Iranian working class and the urgent need for the freedom of labor activists detained unjustly, directing more attention to the importance and necessity of concentrating efforts and struggles to create class-based and mass workers’ organizations.
Such expectations are not unrealistic given the presence and history of labor activists and leaders and the recent years’ experience of organizing such days. On this day, the labor movement must not only raise its immediate demands but also demonstrate its capacity and strength to lead struggles for the freedom of the Iranian people. On this day, the working class, by chanting slogans of freedom and equality, freeing women from the shackles of oppression, liberating nationalities and religions from tyranny, takes a significant step towards solidarity with radical social movements. This day is a day of protest against the detention of labor leaders and activists, a day of struggle for the immediate release of all political prisoners, a day of struggle for wage increases proportional to ensuring a humane life, a day of struggle for the freedom to organize and strike, a day of struggle against unemployment and layoffs, and a day of struggle to provide adequate unemployment insurance for all unemployed and willing workers! It is a day of condemnation of child labor and defense of children’s rights! This day is a day for issuing resolutions encompassing all the political, economic, social, and welfare demands of workers, toilers, women, youth, and children.
On this day, women activists, teachers, nurses, students, and socialist youth, advocates of freedom and equality, must be prepared to have a significant presence alongside the labor movement in these ceremonies. On this day, workers must appear with such strength and self-confidence in the May Day events that the ongoing mass movement draws strength from this demonstration of the workers’ power and elevates to a higher phase.
In this year’s May Day events, workers must clearly announce that they will stand united and powerful against capital, this regime, and this government, making it clear to their class enemies that the danger is imminent, and workers will not accept any promises or postponements—they demand what they deserve today! Let’s march boldly towards the organization of the most magnificent May Day ceremonies, and in these events, by jointly issuing our indictment against capital, against capitalists, and the Islamic regime supporting them, declare that this year, we will commence our struggles with more organized and radical methods!
