25 January 2005

 Dear friends,

 You will have been informed of the 16-day strike by Kurdistan Textile workers, which ended with the management and government agreeing to meet most of their demands.  It has now come to our attention that the Islamic Republic has started a systematic harassment of the textile workers’ representatives.  As you will see from the attached letter, two of the representatives, namely, Mr Farshid Beheshti Zad and Mr Sheis Amani, were recently summoned to the Information Ministry and threatened.  They have been accused of working with opposition political parties, a charge which can have serious consequences under the Islamic Republic.  The authorities’ objective is to intimidate the workers and take back what they have gained

 The ICFTU’s support to this strike was crucial in its victory.  Your continued solidarity will be an important factor in pushing back the regime and boosting the workers’ fighting morale and confidence.  We request that you

 condemn the regime’s intimidation of workers and demand that it be ceased immediately;-

  demand that the management and authorities fully honour the agreements, as well as reinstate the -

six workers who were made redundant;

  support the right to strike and organise, and freedom of expression;-

   send a delegation on behalf of ICFTU to Iran to investigate the situation of these workers.-

 The Kurdistan Textile workers urgently need your support.  In view of the critical nature of their situation, .I would request that you deal with this matter as an emergency

,Sincerely

Kazem Nik-khah

Secretary, WPI – Organisation Abroad