"They are resorting to all kinds of intimidating and repressive tactics to prevent our actions in Tehran. We are accused as subversives and saboteurs. To crush our protest, the security forces are using tear gas, batons and are threatening to shoot us. Hundreds including wives and children are being arrested and sent to Evin prison".

Is this a recent report from Iran? Another scene of violence in the midst of political turmoil after the Presidential election? Yes, it came from Iran but this account dates back to January 2006 when a one-day bus workers' strike was crushed by the police, intelligence services and company thugs.

Such oppression was repeated last month (and in many other instances), when the authorities stopped a May Day celebration with force. Plain-clothed officers and police attacked, beat and arrested the participants and passers-by. Streets were full of mini-buses and vans to take away the detainees. Out of the 2,000 people that gathered, more than 200 were taken into custody. The police broke the cameras and cell phones of anyone who tried to document the event.

For those of us who have been campaigning for workers' rights in Iran in the past, we could only imagine these scenes of brutal attacks from the words that we read. Now, for the first time, we can visualise the notorious Basiji, security forces and snipers in action as film footages and photographs of the popular protests continue to channel out of Iran. And I am outraged once again.

It reinforces our view that some essential things are missing in this country. US President Barack Obama in his short statement on Iran on 20 June touched upon "the universal rights to assembly and free speech". Nobody will disagree with that. Let's make sure, however, that workers' rights - freedom of association and rights to bargain collectively to begin with - are on the list, too.

Iranian workers and their basic rights have not been respected over the years. Instead, hard and honest working people and their families have been asked to tolerate their living and working conditions and limit their freedom and rights.

Bus union leader, Mansour Osanloo, in his interview with the ITF's magazine, Transport International (October 2007) talks about "low wages and long working hours; the use of outdated vehicles; drivers' fatigue caused by heavy road congestion; staff redundancy and management's corruption" as pertinent issues that united the workers against their employer. According to the Annual Survey of Violation of Trade Union Rights (2008) by the ITUC, the minimum wage set by the Iranian government is US$140 per month, while the official poverty line stands at US$300 a month. Nearly two million workers have not been paid - some for nearly two years.

In the meantime, the Workers’ House and Islamic Labour Council, which the Iranian government set-up after the 1979 revolution to replace trade unions, have failed to deal with these issues. In principle, they are part of the system to oppress the workers, not to represent their interests. That is why the bus workers in Tehran, teachers in different cities, sugar workers at Haft Tapeh in southern Iran and workers in Kurdistan have stood-up despite all the oppression that they could be confronted with. The two puppet organisations join these attacks. In one case, they went on to cut Osanloo’s tongue.

We see two faces in this oil-rich country today. One side wants to maintain and reinforce the values of the 1979 revolution as enshrined in their Islamic constitution. On the other side we see the introduction of "most advanced" aspects of Western agenda such as privatisation and precarious employment. Some may wonder how this chemistry will mix. The formula will work if they supplement each other to keep the rich classes in their comfort zone whilst driving the vast majority of the population into poverty; at the cost of incorporating massive potential contradiction in the Iranian society.

People are protesting in the millions despite the highest level of warning coming from the political leadership of the country. They feel betrayed over the election result. This spontaneous rebellion is, however, like the ignition of the fuse. In its extension we can see the frustration of the masses that is about to explode. Something that was accumulated over years of negligence in an unfair and unjust society. “Failure of economy”, “nepotism”, “corruption”; these are the words that you can already pick-up from the Iranian bloggers on the internet.

So the next crucial question lies in front of us. How will the independent unions be dealing with these unprecedented socio-political circumstances now that the Pandora’s box is opened?

The bus workers’ union in Tehran did not endorse either Mahmoud Ahmadinejad or Mir-Hossein Mousavi because neither candidate responded to the Open Letter that the union released in May. The union questioned all the candidates on issues related to basic trade union and human rights as well as topics such as minimum wages, job security and creation, housing, medical and unemployment insurances and temporary contracts but they were ignored.

Moreover, the union correctly points out in its latest statement from last week that the demands of the masses now go beyond the capacity of any particular political group. It is no longer about choosing an existing party over another. Rather, the question is how the foundations for basic freedom and rights could be structured in the Iranian society; and by whom; and for whom? The principal pressure is coming from the Iranian people themselves. The authorities cannot blame it on any external influence.

International trade union organisations have been one visible force with its long-term campaign to support the independent workers’ movement. Whilst the leaders are still in jail and the unions are under attack, experts confirm an unprecedented growth of the workers' movement and an escalation of struggles in Iran over the past few years.

Union lawyer, Yussuf Mollaie received a trade union rights award on behalf of the bus workers’ union last October in Brussels. He said in his speech that Iranian workers are aware of the solid support from the international community. “When we raise our fists, we know that we are not alone”.

The four global union organisations, namely the ITUC, EI, ITF and IUF have formed its coalition “Justice for Iranian workers” weeks before the results of the election and have called upon unions around the world to take part in the Global Solidarity Action Day on 26 June to further promote trade union rights in Iran. Amnesty International is actively supporting this worldwide event.

The people in Iran are now raising the fists in their attempt to end the “threats, arrests, murders and brutal suppression” that were set against them systematically for years. This global Action Day will, therefore, be a touchstone where trade union rights and human rights will be integrated into a wider and stronger popular movement in Iran. To achieve that objective, trade unionists and human rights activists around the world must give their full support on 26 June and beyond.