May Day a Preview of June 12?

Lots of news coming out of Iran in recent days.

Last year, on May Day, Park Laleh, Tehran, was the scene of large scale labor protests in Iran. 120 were arrested at the rally, and many more labor activists were arrested throughout the nation. This year, in light of the brutality of the crackdowns and the post-election unrest, labor leaders are calling for localized action in the workplace. Strikes, sit-ins, and even sabotage have been discussed as some possible ways to protest the unfair labor conditions, lack of pay, and large unemployment that is often used as a threat to keep workers who do have a job in line.  Additionally, 10 Iranian labour organizations issued a joint resolution, condemning the treatment of works in Iran and issuing eight demands including “immediate release of political prisoners, wage increase and freedom of independent organizations.” These organizations are calling for a rally on May 1st, 5 p.m. in front of Ministry of Labor.

Unrest in the labor camp is obviously growing, as workers continue to go unpaid.  However, it is also apparent that the government has no intention of allowing any protests or marches that they do not have control over. According to a source I have inside Iran, “A laborer of a factory in Shahre-ray’s comment about May Day and said that the government didn’t give them permission for a march. They tell us we have no right to talk or to protest. When we defend our oppressed rights the government threatens us that we have gone far beyond what we are allowed to.”

According to Iran Labor Report:

The government-sanctioned labor groups, meanwhile, have announced a week of ceremonies starting with a gathering at the tomb of Ayatollah Khomeini and ending with a staged meeting with Ahmadinejad. Early reports on the first day of the “labor week” indicate that about three thousand workers did gather at the tomb but staged a silent protest with the signs they were carrying. The issues raised ranged from lack of unemployment insurance to the cutting of pensions to the lack of job security. While the gathering was supposed to be held inside the shrine, it was kept outside the shrine itself despite the rainy weather. The police presence was extremely heavy. Jafar Azimzadeh, head of the Free Assembly of the Workers in Iran, said in an interview that the independent labor organizations did not recognize the “week of labor” as legitimate and only considered May Day itself as a day for activity. He attributed the week-long events to the attempts by the government and government-affiliated organizations to put up a show and project a bogus vision of support for the occasion.

May Day is especially poignant as the anniversary of the failed June 12th election lies just over the horizon. Mehdi Karroubi and Mir Hossein Mousavi, the two rivals to Ahmadinejad in last years flawed election, met on Monday and called for widespread protests to mark the one year anniversary of the poll. The bold statements from the two leaders and the call for organization sets the stage for renewed friction, and has breathed new life into the Green Movement. Mahdi Karroubi’s statements were particularly challenging to the regime. He declared, “they think that nobody can hear the opposition. But people can hear.” He spoke of Iran’s image around the world, and even inferred that some of the developments in Iran have hurt the “honor” and “dignity” of the nation.

These statements were also accompanied by the release of new footage from Mehdi Saharkhiz showing Mousavi addressing a crowd during post-election demonstrations in June of last year.

Organizers of June 12th protests have not released details, and will likely be unwilling to do so unless a major political leader releases specifics. One major problem facing protesters in the past is that the government has begun to anticipate and control crowds. However, the call for rallies by Mousavi and Karroubi is likely to raise the stakes in an already very tense situation.