IRAN’S theocratic regime does not recognise trade unions, but teachers and educational workers have formed the nationwide Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers’ Trade Associations (CCITTA) which has organised many protest actions, including petitions to the Iranian authorities and international organisations, sit-ins at schools, walkouts and rallies.

In yet another attempt to get their voices heard, thousands of teachers and educators gathered outside Iran’s parliament in Tehran and at education authority offices across the country on May 12.

These kind of actions have gained momentum in recent months and have met with violent suppression by the authorities. Teacher leaders and activists have lost their jobs and been arrested and imprisoned on baseless accusations, including “acting against national security.” The regime’s response on May 12 was no different.

Teachers and their associations insist that they are exercising their legal rights to freedom of association and to hold peaceful demonstrations, as guaranteed in Articles 26 and 27 of Iran’s constitution.

CCITTA persistently campaigns for an end to violence against its members and the framing of union activists, for the immediate and unconditional release of all jailed teachers and trade union activists and for their colleagues’ reinstatement in their jobs.

It also continues to voice its long-standing demands for implementation of an equitable pay grade structure, as required by the Civil Services Management Act, fairer pensions, a halt to privatisation of the education service and free, high-quality public education as specified in the constitution.

Iran’s government has consistently failed to implement any of this, mainly on the pretext of a lack of budget, while large sums of public money are allocated to state security, including the brutal Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.

In an open letter to delegates at this year’s International Labour Organisation (ILO) conference in Geneva, CCITTA wrote, “Over the years and especially in recent months, the Iranian government's economic policies have created widespread poverty and misery for the public, primarily the workers.

“This situation has created a yawning class divide, shrunk people’s livelihoods and has eventually led to public protest. It is unfortunate that instead of responding appropriately and solving problems, the government has reacted brutally to these lawful protests.”

The letter told how a recent false report on state radio and television accused well-known teacher activists of collaborating with foreign “spies.” It called on delegates at the ILO Conference to demand the unconditional dropping of all charges against imprisoned trade unionists and their immediate release and for the Iranian government to uphold the rights of all workers to freedom of association and freedom of speech, including the right to peaceful assembly, without fear of state intervention.

Continuing solidarity with Iranian educators is of paramount importance at present, as their protests draw in the support of millions of students and their parents across the country and other independent Iranian professional associations, as well as that of unions, international associations and solidarity organisations from across the world.

The Committee for Defence of Iranian Peoples Rights (Codir) is calling on the NEU to continue its campaigns in support of the demands of CCITTA and Iranian teachers for their basic rights to organise, assemble and express their just demands and for the immediate release of all education leaders and activists held in Iranian prisons and asks that the union invites CCITTA representatives to address its conferences.

We hope that, as well as the huge work it does as a union, the NEU can raise the situation of Iranian teachers with the TUC, Education International and the ITUC. We ask that NEU branches affiliate to Codir and become involved in its campaigns in support of teachers’ rights in Iran.

For information on the campaign and the situation in Iran visit www.codir.net.