The petition campaign “Stop Repression of Iranian Working Class!” launched by the Association of International Workers’ Solidarity (UID-DER) is attracting great interest. Apart from workers, the campaign is supported by trade-union leaders and officials, intellectuals, artists, scholars, representatives of those parties and associations that are sympathetic to labour cause. They show their interest by putting their names in the petition.
We are telling workers, trade-unionists, intellectuals and artists about the repression of Iranian working class and the bans on union activity. Also we are telling that in Iran there is no right to getting unionised and strike in Iran, that the basic rights and freedoms are suppressed, that workers’ leaders such as Mansour Osanloo and Reza Shahabi were imprisoned, that some workers’ leaders were even hanged by the mullahs’ regime. We call on to develop international workers’ solidarity.
Our association, UID-DER, upholds international unity and solidarity of the working class, opposes the attacks targeting the established gains of the working class and also fights for achieving new rights. In our campaign against the attempt of abolishing the right to severance pay we came into contact with hundreds of thousands of toilers and collected nearly 60 thousand signatures. UID-DER’s bond with the working masses finds its expression in the context of international solidarity as well. Conducting the Turkish part of an international campaign launched by Japanese trade-unions for getting all nuclear power plants around the world shut down, UID-DER reached tens of thousands of people. In that campaign workers were told why nuclear power plants have to be shut down and capitalism was exposed. Our solidarity campaign to protest the repression and persecution of Iranian working class is also attracting great interest, and it is continuing. Apart from the trade-unionists, intellectuals, artists and workers listed below, we thank wholeheartedly all our brother/sister workers who joined the campaign with their signatures and expressed their solidarity with the Iranian working class.
Bayram YILMAZ: Association of International Workers’ Solidarity (UID-DER), Chairman
Ertuğrul KÜRKÇÜ: Member of Parliament, Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
Levent TÜZEL: Member of Parliament, Democratic Congress of Peoples (HDK)
Atilay AYÇİN: Turkish Union of Civil Aviation Workers (Hava-İş), Chairman
Eyüp KAPLAN: Hava-İş, Treasurer
Gürel YILMAZ: Motor Vehicle Workers’ Union of Turkey (TÜMTİS), General Secretary
Seyfi EREZ: TÜMTİS, Treasurer
Celalettin CAN: 78’ers Initiative, Spokesperson
Selma GÜRKAN: Party of Labour (EMEP), Chairwoman
Nazım ALPMAN: Journalist-writer
Banu GÜVEN: Journalist
Feryal ÖNEY: Musician, Frontwoman of Kardeş Türküler (Songs of Fraternity) music band
Erkan ASLAN: Activist, Senior Chemical Engineer
Carol BRUCE: International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine, and General Workers’ Unions (ICEM), Officer for Gender Issues
Erol KIZILELMA: Foundation of Social Democracy (SODEV), Chairman
Onur HAMZAOĞLU: Kocaeli University, Faculty of Medicine, Head of the Department of Public Health
Özgür MÜFTÜOĞLU: Marmara University, Assistant professor doctor
Cem TERZİ: Prof. Dr., Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine
İzge GÜNAY: Prof. Dr., Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine
Cengiz ERÇİN: Prof Dr., Kocaeli University, Faculty of Medicine
Ümit BİÇER: Prof. Dr., Kocaeli University, Faculty of Medicine
Kuvvet LORDOĞLU: Prof Dr., Marmara University, Department of Labour Economics
Fatma GÖK: Prof. Dr., Boğaziçi University
Işın Ünal ÇEVİK: Prof. Dr., Ufuk University, Faculty of Medicine
Nesrin ALGAN: Prof. Dr., Ankara University, Faculty of Political Sciences
E. Yasemin ÖZDEK: Prof. Dr., Kocaeli University
Azad SAĞNIÇ: Party of Rights and Freedoms (Hak-Par), Deputy Chairman
Necla AKGÖKÇE: Turkish Union of Petrol and Chemistry Workers (Petrol-İş), Editor of Women Magazine
Hasan GÜLÜM: Turkish Union of Municipalities and General Services Workers (Belediye-İş), Chair of Branch 2
Binali TAY: Turkish Leather Workers’ Union (Deri-İş), Chair of Tuzla Branch
Mahmut ŞENGÜL: General Workers’ Union of Turkey (Genel-İş), Chair of Branch 1
Levent DİNÇER: Press, Media, Graphic Design and Packaging Industry Workers’ Union of Turkey (Basın-İş), Chair of İstanbul Branch
Ersin TÜRKMEN: TÜMTİS, Chair of Branch 1
Mustafa KARATAŞ: Turkish Union of Textile and Garment Industry Workers (Teksif), Chair of Kocaeli Branch
Bekir TANRIKULU: Turkish Union of Cellulose and Paper Workers (Selüloz-İş), Chair of Kocaeli Branch
Süleyman AKYÜZ: Petrol-İş, Chair of Gebze Branch
Mehmet BOĞA: Union of Glass, Cement, Ceramic and Earth Industry Workers (Kristal-İş), Chair of Gebze Branch
Osman AYSAN: Turkish Union of Petrol, Chemistry and Tire Industry Workers (Lastik-İş), Chair of Gebze Branch
Necmettin AYDIN: Union of United Metal Workers (BMİS), Chair of Gebze Branch
Hüseyin ÖVER: Turkish Union of Military Industry Workers (Harb-İş), Chair of İstanbul Anatolian Side Branch
Rabia Özkaraca ÖVER: Turkish Union of Commerce, Cooperatives and Bureau Workers (Tez-Koop-İş), Chair of Branch 5
Erdal ŞAHİN: Tez-Koop-İş, Chair of Branch 1
Vedat KÜÇÜK: Genel-İş, Chair of Kocaeli Branch
Erdal KOPAL: Revolutionary Road Transport Workers Union of Turkey (Nakliyat-İş), Chair of Gebze Branch
Nimet TANRIKULU: Activist, Women’s Initiative for Peace
Alev ŞAHİN: Socialist Democracy Party (SDP), Member of Executive Committee of İstanbul Branch
İlke ACAR: Toiler Movement Party (EHP), Chair of İstanbul Branch
Murat DENİZKURDU: Banking Workers’ Union (Bank-Sen), General Secretary
İbrahim DUMAN: Association of Kürecik Townsmen, Deputy Chairman
Erol KAMBEROĞLU: Genel-İş, Member of Branch Executive Committee
Devrim DUMAN: TÜMTİS, Union expert
F. İlhami ŞAHİN: DİSK Pensioners’ Union (Emekli-Sen), Chair of İstanbul Kartal Branch
Ali ÖZYURT: Doctor
Özlem ÖZKAN: Kocaeli University, Associate Professor
Abdurrahman SAYGILI: Assistant Professor doctor, Ankara University, Faculty of Law
Örgen UĞURLU: Assistant Professor doctor, Kocaeli University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences
Ersin KARAGÖZ: Doctor
Çiğdem ÇAĞLAYAN: Assistant Professor doctor, Kocaeli University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Public Health
Mehmet TÜRKAN: Scholar, Kocaeli University
Arzu ERKAN: Journalist, Hayat Tv, Kocaeli Agent
Rıfat AKÇABOL: Retired Scholar
Zümrüt SEVİNÇ: Psychologist
Emel YUVAYAPAN: Research Assistant
Kağan GÜNAL: Doctor, Private Konak Hospital
Eren KORKMAZ: Deri-İş, Organising Officer
Selda ÖZTÜRK: Musician, Kardeş Türküler (Songs of Fraternity) music band
Muharrem ŞAHİN: Steel Workers Union (Çelik-İş), Chair of Branch 2
Erdal KARAKUŞ: All Municipality Workers’ Union (Tüm Bel-Sen), Chair of Kocaeli Branch
Engin ÇELİK: Deri-İş, Organising Officer
Hüseyin AKYOL: Tüm Bel-Sen, Member of Kocaeli Branch Executive Committee
Güzide SAATÇİ: Tüm Bel-Sen, Member of Kocaeli Branch Executive Committee
Ethem KARTAL: Road, Construction, Infrastructure Public Employees Union (Yapı Yol Sen), Member of Kocaeli Branch Executive Committee
Aykut ÇELİK: Turkish Medical Association, Member of Executive Committee
Reşit YÜKSEL: Food Workers’ Union (Tek Gıda-İş), Anadolu Branch Secretary
Meral ÇILDIR: Lawyer, Human Rights Association (İHD)
Bülent TOK: Steel Workers Union (Çelik-İş), Regional Officer, Kocaeli
Fahrettin ERDOĞAN: Confederation of Revolutionary Workers’ Unions (DİSK), Press Office Director
Şükriye TÜRKEL: Association in Support of Contemporary Living (ÇYDD), Member of Executive Committee
Mehmet ALÇINKAYA: Peace and Democracy Party (BDP)
Osman BAHÇECİ: Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), Member of Executive Committee of Kocaeli Branch
Mehmet AYDOĞAN: Education and Science Workers’ Union (Eğitim-Sen), Chair of İstanbul Branch 5
Meryem ASIL: Lawyer, Progressive Lawyers’ Association (ÇHD)
Yusuf CEYLAN: Genel-İş, Member of Branch Executive Committee
Tuncer ARIN: Genel-İş, Member of Executive Committee of Branch 1
Demet YILDIRIM: DİSK, Secretary of Chairman
Ümüş GÜREĞİ: DİSK Treasury Executive
Barış ATAÇ: Engineer, Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB)
Murat GÜNDÜZAY: Engineer, TMMOB
Elvan DEMİRCİOĞLU: Tez-Koop-İş, Member of Executive Committee of Branch 5
Aziz KAMAALP: Tez-Koop-İş, Member of Executive Committee of Branch 5
Emin KÜLEKÇİ: Engineer, TMMOB
Zülfü ÖRNEK: Engineer, TMMOB
Yunus Emre ZENGİN: Engineer, TMMOB
Aysel Demirci ŞAHİN: Engineer, TMMOB
Özkan TORAMAN: Engineer, Chamber of Electrical Engineers, Gebze Branch
Fırat GÜNEŞ: Çelik-İş, Gebze Branch Secretary
Eyüp AKDEMİR: Petrol-İş, Gebze Branch Secretary
Orhanettin YILDIZ: Petrol-İş, Gebze Branch Treasurer
Erhan GÜDEK: Kristal-İş, Member of Executive Committee of Gebze Branch
Orhan KOÇ: Kristal-İş, Gebze Branch Secretary
Doğan KAYA: Çelik-İş, Organising Officer
Fahrettin İMAR: Çelik-İş, Union expert
Ali Asker KIZIL: Tek Gıda-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor in Kraft co.
Eylem ENÜL: Hava-İş, Union expert
Ayhan ARMAĞAN: Petrol-İş, Deputy Chairman of Branch 2
Ali YURTER: Tez-Koop-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Haydar DUYAR: Tez-Koop-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Şevki ASLAN: Tez-Koop-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Selvi DÖNMEZ: Belediye-İş, Workers’ deputy in Branch 2
Seyfullah KESİNOĞLU: Tek Gıda-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
İsmail KADI: Reporter, local newspaper Gebze Haber
Tülay TUŞ: Petrol-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Sebahattin GÜRBÜZ: Petrol-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Şivan KIRMIZIÇİÇEK: Petrol-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
Rıfat GULİ: Petrol-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
Muhammet ALTUNTERİM: Petrol-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
Emrah DAŞDEMİR: Petrol-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Mustafa TOKUL: Petrol-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
İbrahim KARATAŞ: Petrol-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Ufuk ASKER: Petrol-İş, Member of Executive Committee of Gebze Branch
Murat ÇETİNKAYA: Petrol-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor
Ahmet ÇELİK: Çelik-İş, Chief Union Representative on the shop floor
Savaş ÖZKAN: Genel-İş, Union Representative on the shop floor