HUMAN rights campaigners have called on Britain’s trade unions to back the demands of oil workers in Iran who are fighting for basic workers rights and better employment conditions.

The Committee for the Defence of Iranian People’s Rights (Codir) made the call today after thousands of South Pars oilfield workers marched on a local governor’s office on Tuesday to protest against their low pay and poor terms and conditions.

The protest occurred despite police attempts to block and warnings sent directly to some of its organisers on Monday from their employers, Codir said today.

The oil workers are demanding an increase in minimum wage, the elimination of salary caps, an end to the forced retirement age and the looting of their pension funds, and the return of over-collected taxes.

“We are very keen to encourage action by British trade unions,” Codir general secretary Gawain Little said.

“Sending an email or letter of protest may not seem like very much but the cumulative impact can be significant, both in showing workers that they have international support and in putting pressure on the regime to acknowledge workers’ rights.  

“More than 50 per cent of political prisoners in Iran are trade union activists,” Mr Little said, “jailed in appalling conditions for simply raising basic trade union demands and fighting for the rights of their members.

“The struggle for trade union rights in Iran is bound up with the struggle for social justice and democracy.”

Letters of support to the beleaguered workers can be sent to them via Codir (codir.executive@gmail.com) and/or to the oil workers’ organisation directly: irunionmessenger@gmail.com.