Cherishing the World Workers' Day!

May 1^st was declared as Workers' Day, during the International Workers Convention in 1889, in a time when working class struggles were spread world wide, and through the efforts of Clara Zetkin, Karl Liebknecht, Paul Lafargue, and Ferdinand August Bebel. Since that time, workers around the world, based on the situations they are in, with different forms and shapes, honor this day. These workers are persistent in their struggle against the bourgeoisie for their legitimate aspirations.

It was on 1856 that the Australian workers, for the first time, with the emphasis on the necessity of legalizing the 8-hour workday, chose a day for celebration and rejoicing. Twenty years later, American workers followed their Australian comrades on May 1^st. They stopped production lines, poured into the streets and declared this day, International Strike Day. During the span of many years, up to the time of the International Convention, this day was officially declared the International Workers' Day. The working class everywhere around the world fought for the attainment of an 8-hour workday and made this slogan the embodiment of their red banner.

Based on these struggles, the 8-hour workday became official in many countries. In some advanced capitalist countries, workers even demanded more, and imposed less than an 8-hour workday to factory owners. However, there are drastically different situations in imperialist dominated countries. In such countries, Iran being one of them, the workers often work more than an 8-hour workday, even though an 8-hour workday is recognized by law. In many cases, workers have to work many hours more than 8-hours in order to provide a living for their family.

Cherishing May 1^st every year, not only reminds present workers of the past class struggle, but it also gives them new energy and power to continue their struggle to achieve their aspiration. Cherishing this day, workers in some countries, march in millions to show class power. Workers in other countries gather in small groups. And in some countries workers meet in secret to celebrate May 1^st. Thus, everywhere, in demonstrations both large and small, those gatherings demonstrate that Intentional Workers Day is a show of determination, power, militancy of workers, and marks the degree of organization in these groups.

In Iran, under the domination of the Islamic Republic, workers are not allowed to freely celebrate their International Workers' Day. Also, by law, the minimum wage of workers is set so low that they are unable to provide a living for themselves and their family with just an 8-hour work. A glance at the minimum wage of 930,000 Toomans per month (equivalent to about $250 Dollars) was ratified by the Islamic Republic for coming year of 1396 (which coincides with the years 2017-2018). By itself, this proves that workers must work three to four times more to reach the officially announced poverty line. By increasing daily work, this increases the severity of workers' exploitation and lines employers' pocket with incalculable profits. Despite the fact, the greedy bourgeoisie of Iran still refuses to pay this very minimum wage on time. Employers keep the workers' wages in their personal bank accounts for months and make profit off of the bank-interest. In such a situation, the most common demand from workers is to receive their delayed wages, and we are witnessing that workers in their protests shout “we are hungry”.

This year as well, our suffering working class would welcome their International Day in a condition that prevented the formation of independent organizations and imposed a painful dispersion among workers. These conditions were created by leech-trait capitalists with the support of their bayonet guard dogs, the Islamic Republic. They made every effort to weaken the workers' power of resistance by increasing work hours. They also refused to pay their insignificant dues and left them in the swamp of poverty, adversity, and hunger. In such conditions, there is no option other than strengthening their struggles against capitalists and their supporter regime, and to defend their lives and the dignity of labor. Today, we are witnessing such an encounter from the combatant workers throughout Iran. The task by itself serves to pave the way for the overthrow of the anti-worker imperialist dependent of the Islamic Republic. The rescue of workers from the horrendous conditions that the leech-trait capitalist created for them, the language falls short of expressing, is only and absolutely possible with the overthrow of the Islamic Republic and destruction of the tyrannical capitalist-order governing the country, a task that can only occur through a revolutionary armed struggle.

Long Live the Unity of Workers Across the World!

Down with Imperialist Dependent Regime of Islamic Republic of Iran!

Victory to Revolution! Long Live Communism!

Iranian People's Fadaee Guerrillas (IPFG)

April 2017