I am happy to apologize to the AFL-CIO’s John Sweeney, to my knowledge the third American leader (After Rick Santorum and Jimmy Hoffa) to rally to the cause of the oppressed Tehran bus drivers’ organization. Here’s the Sweeney letter (which conveniently contains Ahmadi-Nezhad’s fax number. Maybe the White House and the State Department could find it useful.

January 5, 2006
His Excellency Mahmoud Ahmadjinejad, President
Islamic Republic of Iran
Palestine Avenue, Azerbaijan Intersection,
Tehran
VIA FACSIMILE: 98.21.6648.06.65/98.21.649.5880
Dear President Ahmadinejad:
On behalf of the nine million working men and women of the American Federation of Labor – Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) I strongly protest the arrests of the trade union leaders of the Tehran and Suburb Bus Company -Vahed in Tehran on December 22, 2005.
According to our information, the trade union called for a bus transport strike on Sunday, December 25 due to the arrests of their union leader and ten executive board members of the union. It has since been reported that most of those detained on December 22 have been released, although Mr. Mansour Osanloo, the leader of the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (“Sherkat-e Vahed”), remains in detention.
The AFL-CIO recalls that the trade union has already suffered several attacks. On May 9, 2005, Mansour Osanloo was severely injured and required hospital treatment, after which he was taken into custody for questioning. Between March and June 2005, at least 17 workers, including Mansour Osanloo were fired. Furthermore, on September 7, 2005 seven leaders and members of the union were arrested, including three of those detained in the last two weeks. They had been arrested during a protest against unpaid wages.
The AFL-CIO joins the rest of the independent, free and democratic trade union movements worldwide to strongly condemn the harassment of members of the Sherkat-e Vahed trade union. The right to be a member of a trade union and the right to organize an independent labor organization are fundamental workers’ rights, protected under the relevant Conventions of the International Labor Organization (ILO). The AFL-CIO strongly condemns the arrest of workers exercising their legitimate, internationally – recognized trade union rights and demands the immediate release of all detained trade unionists, whether in Tehran or elsewhere in Iran.
I look forward to your immediate and decisive action.
Sincerely,
John J. Sweeney
President