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Laval, Québec -- On April 16, 2008, Mario Silva, Member of Parliament for Davenport, stood in the House of Commons and congratulated Teamsters Canada for its important work to secure the release of Mansour Osanloo, an Iranian arrested nearly a year before for planning a strike to call attention to the substandard work conditions of Teheran’s bus drivers.
“Alongside Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, [Teamsters has] taken an extremely active role in promoting human rights in Iran,” explained the Toronto-area MP. “[The organization’s] work to free labour activists Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi has significantly amplified the debate surrounding Iranian human rights violations.”
Recognized around the world for its involvement in the case, Teamsters Canada, alongside the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), long denounced the unjust incarceration of the two Iranian unionists and ensured that their plight remained front and centre in the minds of Canadians and politicians.
“Mansour Osanloo’s state of health is not good,” stated Robert Bouvier, President of Teamsters Canada earlier this month. “The Iranian authorities must free him soon or risk ending up in a very difficult position with western nations.”
This view was supported by Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who reminded the Iranian government of its international human rights obligations.
Teamsters Canada’s human-rights work is indicative of its decades-long commitment to give a voice to workers’ issues and concerns. The union is determined to continue to ensure the rights of workers around the world are respected and protected.
“Mr. Osanloo’s fight is reminiscent of western workers’ struggles in the early 20th century,” says Robert Bouvier. “Just like these two men, our ancestors had to fight to improve their living conditions. Some were even thrown in jail. That is the reason why we have stood by workers since day one.”
Contact information: Stéphane Lacroix – 514-609-5101
“Alongside Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, [Teamsters has] taken an extremely active role in promoting human rights in Iran,” explained the Toronto-area MP. “[The organization’s] work to free labour activists Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi has significantly amplified the debate surrounding Iranian human rights violations.”
Recognized around the world for its involvement in the case, Teamsters Canada, alongside the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), long denounced the unjust incarceration of the two Iranian unionists and ensured that their plight remained front and centre in the minds of Canadians and politicians.
“Mansour Osanloo’s state of health is not good,” stated Robert Bouvier, President of Teamsters Canada earlier this month. “The Iranian authorities must free him soon or risk ending up in a very difficult position with western nations.”
This view was supported by Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who reminded the Iranian government of its international human rights obligations.
Teamsters Canada’s human-rights work is indicative of its decades-long commitment to give a voice to workers’ issues and concerns. The union is determined to continue to ensure the rights of workers around the world are respected and protected.
“Mr. Osanloo’s fight is reminiscent of western workers’ struggles in the early 20th century,” says Robert Bouvier. “Just like these two men, our ancestors had to fight to improve their living conditions. Some were even thrown in jail. That is the reason why we have stood by workers since day one.”
Contact information: Stéphane Lacroix – 514-609-5101
