Iranian nurses have been on strike for several weeks. As we write these lines, 40 Iranian cities and around 70 hospitals are affected. They have been protesting for several months now to ask the government to improve their working conditions and their paltry salaries, but it was the death of three of their sisters last March and the death of Parvaneh Mandani, a nurse at the hospital. Imam Hossein of Sepidan, last August 2 which fueled their revolt.
These women literally died of exhaustion, victims of karoshia chronic stress that gradually leads to exhaustion and possible death by cardiac arrest, stroke or suicide.
Invisible
While they work unpaid overtime and there are significant pay gaps with doctors and hospital managers, hospital managers ignore their requests. Also, on the international scene, with the exception of the Iranian media and some European media, little is said about these healthcare professionals, mostly women, who perform one of the most essential functions in a patriarchal society: caring for the population.
Courageous
Iran is an authoritarian regime and people or groups who challenge this regime face reprisals and repression, including imprisonment or death sentences. Fundamental rights are not respected there, particularly those of women. Let us recall the death of Mahsa (Jina) Amini, a young Kurdish woman of 22 years old, arrested and beaten by the “morality police” in Tehran in 2022 because a strand stuck out from under her veil. The situation is so serious that the Canadian government is warning citizens to “avoid all travel to Iran due to […] the high risk of arbitrary detention and unpredictable application of local laws.
According to Iranian media, several striking nurses have been arrested, faced threats of dismissal from employers and intimidation from law enforcement. What we read in the newspapers is only the tip of the iceberg, and their lives and integrity are under threat. However, they hold on with courage and determination.
Solidarity
We have a duty to support them, we who are lucky enough to live in a democracy where we can express ourselves and protest freely. Faced with such attacks on human rights, discrimination against a group composed mainly of women, the denial of labor rights and the abolition of union rights, we cannot remain silent.
We, feminist, trade union, community and rights defense organizations, are launching a call for solidarity so that the atrocious fate of Iranian nurses is denounced. We also encourage the Canadian government to call on its counterparts internationally so that sanctions or other actions can be put in place. Representatives of the Canadian government have the power to denounce and assert the fundamental rights of Iranian nurses in international bodies, such as the United Nations (UN) and in particular the International Labor Organization (ILO), whose mission is the promotion of social justice and human and labor rights.
No matter where in the world, it is intolerable that women, nurses, are exploited and threatened in this way.
*Also co-signed this letter: The Association of Iranian Women of Montreal; Nimâ Machouf, feminist activist and epidemiologist; Caroline Gravel, president of the Union of Healthcare Professionals of the Capitale-Nationale — FIQ; Julie Boivin, president of the FIQ SPS Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean; Isabelle Roy, president of the Regional Union of Healthcare Professionals of Quebec; Stéphanie Goulet, interim president of the FIQ-Union of Healthcare Professionals of the Eastern Townships; Carole Mercier, president of the SPSCA; Kathy Lagacé, interim president of the FIQ Union of Care and Cardiorespiratory Professionals of Bas-Saint-Laurent; Nancy Hogan, president of SICHU Québec, Nadine Bédard-St-Pierre, 1st vice-president of the Centrale des syndicats du Québec; Isabelle Dumaine, president of the Quebec Health Federation; Béatrice Vaugrand, general director of Oxfam Quebec; Yannick Giroux, vice-president of CUPE; Julie Antoine, general coordinator of the Feminist Coalition against violence against women, Sandra Étienne, vice-president of the APTS; Annie-Christine Tardif, vice-president for professional life of the FAE.
Likewise:
Florence Thomas, union advisor, FIQ; Marie-Eve Rancourt, lawyer; Liliane Côté, coordinator, FIQ; Sébastien Gingras, union advisor, FIQ; Judith Cardin Poissant, union advisor, FIQ; Marie Eve Lepage, communications advisor, FIQ; Simon de Carufel, labor relations advisor, FIQ; Pierre-André Audet-Bédard, union advisor, FIQ; Annie Bélisle, union advisor, FIQ; Jean-François Lahaise, union advisor, FIQ; Sonia Danechi, lawyer, FIQ; Louis Guertin, union advisor, FIQ; Naomi Deschambault, union advisor, FIQ; Isabelle Trépanier, general secretary, FIQ; Thomas Rougeaux, lawyer, FIQ; Catherine Fauteux, union advisor, FIQ; Malone Docteur, union advisor, FIQ; Marie-Claudel Mathieu, union advisor, FIQ; Annie Rousseau, union advisor, FIQ; Patrick Gariépy, union advisor, FIQ; Richard-Nathanaël Normandin, union advisor, FIQ; Mathilde Rajotte, union advisor, FIQ; Caroline Simard, union advisor, FIQ; Caroline Proulx, nurse, FIQ; Josée Renaud, union advisor, FIQ; Marbezy, secretary, FIQ; Karine Pelletier, union advisor, FIQ; Patrick Guay, nurse, FIQ; Audrée Gosselin, documentation technician, FIQ; Jean Pierre Roy Valdebenito, union advisor, nurse, FIQ; Pasquier Laure, labor relations secretary, FIQ; Josiann Lahaie-Nadeau, legal secretary, FIQ; Christian Léonard, union advisor, FIQ; Pierre Charlebois, ASCLO, FIQ; Diane Bouchard, lawyer, FIQ; Karine Paiement, labor relations advisor and nurse, FIQ; Sara Caron-Guay, Quebec nurse and union advisor, OIIQ and FIQ; Myrna Karamanoukian, sociopolitical advisor, FIQ; Sebastien Simard, advisor, FIQ; Kevin Mailloux, auxiliary nurse, Quebec University Hospital; Amélie Dolbec, union advisor, FIQ; Joannie Michaud, union advisor, FIQ; Ridza Cléophat, union advisor, FIQ; Laurence Fortin-Pellerin, union advisor, FIQ; Sarah Proulx Doucet, lawyer, FIQ; Guylaine Boulanger, union advisor, FIQ; Emilie Beauchesne, citizen; Caroline Valiquette, union labor relations advisor, FIQ; Laurence Desaulniers, union advisor, FIQ; Catherine Mac, lawyer — union advisor, FIQ; Irène Brouillette, president of CA Développement et Paix, retired from teaching, AREQ, ACIP, JEVI, PNL, Choeur symphonique de Sherbrooke, Ottawa Classical, Choir; Sara Lapointe, union communications advisor, FIQ; Rébecca Laurin, lawyer, FIQ; Isabelle Denis, union lawyer-advisor, FIQ; Élaine Giroux, citizen union advisor; Hélene Vézina, auxiliary nurse, CISSS des Laurentides; Monica Toro Ospina, auxiliary nurse, FIQ-Union of Healthcare Professionals of Laurentides;
Mélissa McNicoll, union representative and practical nurse, FIQ; Chantal Page, union advisor, FIQ; Dargis, auxiliary nurse, FIQ SPSL; Virginie Riopel, psychosocial worker, CALACS Favorite; Manon St-Denis, nurse, FIQ-SPSL; Sonia Vendette, auxiliary nurse, CISSS des Laurentides; Sacha Nelson-Masse, union advisor, FIQ; Mylène Lavigueur, FIQ; The Héritage women’s center team; Kim Demers, practical nurse, FIQ SPSL; Sandra Perrier, auxiliary nurse, team leader, union agent, FIQ SPS Laurentides; François Trudelle, advisor, RLT FIQ; Sasha Morancy, union advisor, FIQ;
Drouin, secretary, FIQ; Justine Lecomte-Rousseau, union advisor, FIQ; Sophie Ferguson, 2nd vice-president, Union of Professionals of the Government of Quebec (SPGQ); Michel Simard, union advisor, FIQ; Kristina Dionne, practical nurse, ULDM; Évelyne Bessette; Helene Gaignard, FIQ secretary;
Geneviève Goupil, administrative assistant, FIQ; Jackie Coulombe, clinical nurse, union agent cat. 1, CIUSSSCN; Marie-Hélène Verge, union advisor, FIQ;
Marie Eve Lepage, communications advisor, FIQ; Marie-Eve Lingard Lord, clinical nurse and union agent, Union of Healthcare Professionals of the Capitale-Nationale — FIQ; Pierre Dionne, ASI, CISSSME; Geneviève Côté, practical nurse and union agent, CISSSME and FIQSPSME; Louis-Georges Delisle, CIUSSSCN nurse; Naima Boulmane, auxiliary nurse, CIUSSS; Diane Bouchard, lawyer, FIQ; Jeanne Campeau-Devlin, clinical nurse, CIUSSSCN; Mélanie Côté, practical nurse; CIUSSSCN; Alexandre Girouard, auxiliary nurse, CISSSME; Ariane Poirier, clinical nurse, CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale; Veronic Tremblay clinical nurse, CIUSSSCN, Tim Dronkert, nurse, CHUM; Aurélie McBrearty, nurse, CHUM; Johanne Riendeau, nurse, FIQ; Karine Côté Valcourt, nurse, FIQ;
Maxence Corriveau, interim vice-president of task and work organization FIQ SPSS Odim;
Elizabeth Rich, auxiliary nurse team leader, CIUSSS ODIM; Jimmy Sincere, v.p. employment relationship, FIQ-SPSSODIM; Nicole Roy, nurse, CIUSSSODIM; Julie Daignault, respiratory therapist, CISSS des Laurentides; Marysa Diadelfo, Registered nurse and FIQ rep; Valérie Grondines, secretary, FIQ; Joelle Bilodeau, practical nurse, SPSS CSMTL; Cynthia Jehoda, nurse, CIUSSS ODIM; Anusree Nath, union agent, FIQ-SPSS-CSMTL; Samir Hadj Arab, nurse at CH Verdun; Denis Cloutier, nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Marie-Claude Rolland, nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Véronique Michaud, clinical nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Justine, auxiliary nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Hafi, clinical nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Nathalie Thibault, practical nurse, v.p. Health and safety at work, FIQ-SPS ESTIM; Blais Gina Nadia, nurse, IUSMM; Christine Picard, nurse, CEMTL; Karine Dumulong, nurse, HMR; Pierre Grace, HMR; Marjolène Di Marzio, care advisor, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital; Rosemary Lemaire, assistant to the immediate superior, CIUSSS CEMTL; Sophie McInnis, nurse, HMR; Isabelle Simard, nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Ann Ross, nurse, CLSC; Javiera Kegevic, nurse; El Mehmazi Bouchra, clinical nurse assistant-head nurse, CIUSSS de L’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Suzanne, nurse, CEMTL; Geneviève Rousseau, practical nurse, Lucille Teasdale, CHSLD; Audrey Lalonde, IPSPL, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Sonia Boisvert; auxiliary nurse, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Caitlin Pearce, practical nurse, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Fangnigbe, team leader nurse, CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Elena Ciutescu Buse, nurse, FIQ SPSS Centre-Sud; Rose-Hélène Tiberio Fontaine, nurse and union representative,
CIUSSS
from the East Island of Montreal, SPSESTIM FIQ; Fraser-Michaud, Maude, clinical nurse, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Julie Bissonnette, nurse, Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital; Mailhot Sophie, auxiliary nurse, CIUSSS CCSMTL; Sonia Lemieux, practical nurse, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Cathy Thompson, nursing assistant, HMR; Nadia Meddouri, auxiliary nurse, Maisonneuve-Rosemont hospital; Elisabeth Rodrigues, nurse, CIUSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Carole Boulerice, nurse, IUSMM; Caroline, auxiliary nurse, CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal; Sophie Goyette, clinical nurse and retired; Véronique Baril, clinical nurse, CIUSSS du Nord-de-l’Île-de-Montréal;
Edith Barrett, practical nurse, FIQ; Marilyn St-Pierre, nurse, HMR; Nancy Hogan president, SICHU Quebec; Élaheh Chokraï, activist, former FIIQ representative.