Hoffa Calls On Iran to Free Union Leaders

Hoffa Calls On Iran to Free Union Leaders

By ARI PAUL

Teamster President James P. Hoffa has joined labor activists around the world in calling on the Iranian government to release two jailed unionists, one of them a transport workers union leader.

JAMES P. HOFFA: Decries anti-union 'repression.' Mansour Osanloo, president of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs (Sherkat-e Vahed) Bus Company, was arrested on July 10. Mahmoud Salehi, founder of the Saghez Bakery Workers Association, was arrested on April 9. Both are reportedly being denied medical attention.

'Repressing Workers'

"We are deeply concerned for the safety of Mr. Osanloo and Mr. Salehi," Mr. Hoffa wrote to Iranian diplomats Aug. 9, a Day of Action organized in part by the London-based International Transport Workers' Federation. "Iran's Ministry of Labor has repeatedly reassured the international union community that Iran is committed to workers' rights, but instead we have seen an increasing repression of workers and their unions in the past months."

The ITF sent a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad last November when Mr. Osanloo was previously arrested for trade union activities.

"On behalf of millions of workers and their trade unions worldwide, we request your office to free Mansour Osanloo immediately and unconditionally," the letter said. "We further request that your government comply with the [International Labor Organization] Conventions on freedom of association and trade union rights, and safeguard any union members of Sherkat-e Vahed from further unwarranted arrests by the security force."