FREE ONSANLOO

RMTnews :: march 2008 :: www.rmt.org.uk 20 T rade unionists in over 40 countries held protests to demand the release of imprisoned Iranian trade unionist Mansour Onsanloo. RMT activists joined protesters outside the Iranian Embassy in London on March 6 and handed out leaflets at rail stations demanding his release. Protests were held worldwide in support of Mansour Osanloo, the elected leader of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company, a trade union founded three years ago. Even though the organisation is legal it has been violently attacked by Iranian security forces. As a result of his work Osanloo has been beaten, arrested and had his tongue sliced as a warning against speaking out. He is now being held in Evin Prison in Tehran, where he is in danger of losing his sight in one eye due to a previous beating. As part of a world-wide action day for Osanloo, organised by the International Transport Workers' Federation, commuters were leafleted at major railways stations in London, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool and Leeds. RMT general secretary Bob Crow, who joined activists at Kings Cross, said: "across the world trade unionists are demanding the release of our brother Mansour Osanloo, whose only crime is to fight for better pay for busworkers”. He said that whether in Britain or Iran, trade union rights were human rights, and appealed for members to sign the petition to the Iranian authorities on the Labourstart website. More information about Mansour Osanloo can be found at the ITF website at www.freeosanloo.org, and a petition for his release can be found at www.labourstart.org/iran F ollowing the success of last year’s anti-racism bus journey from London to Glasgow – spreading the message of Hope not Hate – Searchlight and the Daily Mirror is repeating the campaign for 2008. This time there will be a launch on Friday April 18 in Liverpool, the ‘08 Capital of Culture, with the bus travelling to London before council elections on May 1. The bus will be stopping in Wigan and Salford, Leeds, Stoke-on-Trent, Rotherham, Manchester, Barking and several London venues. The double decker will carry the same message – that modern Britain is a place of tolerance and diversity, and somewhere people of all different races and religions live and work together peacefully. Each day will see one or two key events – from Colliery Brass Bands to Welsh Male Voice Choirs to Steel Bands and Gospel Choirs, from mosques to cathedrals, in communities from mill-towns to inner cities. This year’s campaign will receive huge coverage in the Daily Mirror which will give progress reports every day of where the bus is and what it’s been up to. RMT members are encouraged to get involved and full details of the bus tour and other anti-BNP activities in your area visit www.hopenothate.org Members in London can volunteer for U-Day on April 29 when the campaign will be targeting Tube stations. Contact James Croy at head office for more details 020 7529 8822 or j.croy@rmt.org.uk FREE ONSANLOO HOPE NOT HATE: STOP TH FREE OSLANLOO: Tom Cashman of UNITE, Andy Bain, TSSA President, Bob Crow RMT General Secretary