Iraqi trade unions

Iraq: "The bedrock of democracy is a strong labour movement"

Leaders from the three main trade union organisations in Iraq — the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), the Federation of Workers’ Councils and Unions of Iraq (FWCUI), and the General Union of Oil Employees (GUOE) — toured the USA in June. On 26 June, at the end of the tour, they made a joint statement, together with US Labor Against The War, who organised the tour. What’s in the statement is commonplace. Opposition both to the occupation and to the “terrorists”, support for women’s equality and cancellation of Iraq’s Saddam-era debt, and opposition to privatisation, are all long-standing...

Branch meeting report

Notes from AWL North London branch meeting 21st June 2005 Estate residents stop privatisation Hackney schools campaign Branch activities Iraqi trade unions Political report: Aspland estate and Marcon Court anti-privatisation campaign Janine gave some background to the campaign and the estate’s history. Marcon Court built in the 50s and run down since then. Tenants’ & Residents’ Association (TRA) set up in 2001 for both estates. The Council promised repairs that were not done, Marcon Court considered uneconomical for refurbishment, this argument used to justify plans to sell it to the private...

What about the Iraqi workers?

David Broder had an exchange of views with Alys Elica Zaerin , chair of School Students Against the War. David: At the G8, SSAW will be using the slogan “fight poverty not war”, making the point that the US government spends billions more on war than on aid. But aren’t you missing the point that if debt is cut or more aid given to the Third World, it can still be squandered by corrupt regimes. Isn’t it more important to show positive solidarity with progressive forces like the workers’ movement, which can really end poverty? Alys: We are showing solidarity by going out on demonstrations — with...

Iraqi union moves against privatisation

By Rhodri Evans One hundred and fifty trade Iraqi trade union activists — members of the General Union of Oil Employees, other trade unionists from the southern cities of Nasiriyah and Amara and Basra, and representatives of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions — came to a conference in Basra on 25-26 May to start organising a campaign against US-imposed plans to privatise the Iraqi economy. Shortly before the conference, the Beirut Daily Star had reported (17 May): “Iraq’s Industry Ministry plans to partially privatise most of its 46 state-owned companies as part of the government’s plan to...

Support Iraqi workers

Behind all the press and TV reports of new governments and constitutions, and bloodshed by both US/UK troops and Al Qaeda types, there is another story in Iraq. It is that of the new Iraqi labour movement, re-establishing itself in difficult circumstances. Iraqi workers have set up trade unions, evicted old Ba'thist bosses and new American contractors, won pay raises, campaigned to save jobs, demanded jobs or benefits for the unemployed, and resisted privatisation. On this diverse and lively Iraqi labour movement depend all hopes of winning a free, democratic, and secular Iraq. Iraq Union...

Iraqi students organise

By Houzan Mahmoud , on behalf of the campaign to support students in Basra against Islamic repression The first student congress since the US-led invasion will be held in Iraq on June 15th, 2005. Student committees set up in December last year have been working hard under extremely dangerous conditions to organise students and create a progressive student organization to defend the rights and freedoms of young people in Iraq. The March student uprising against repression by Moqtada al-Sadr’s Basra militia has made the need for a national student organisation clear. Currently Islamist political...

Stop forced privatisation in Iraq

Support oil union's campaign By Colin Foster Three and a half months after the 30 January elections, Iraq now has an elected government, a coalition of the Shia and Kurdish alliances, with some seats set aside for Sunni Arab politicians. The Sunni-Islamist “resistance” has marked the occasion with a new surge of bombings. Meanwhile, May 25–26 will see Iraqi trade unionists and civil society activists gather at the Oil Institute of Basra for a two-day conference aimed at fighting the privatisation of Iraqi oil. The conference is organised by the General Union of Oil Employees, a union strong in...

Iraqi workers plan to fight privatisation

May 25-26 will see Iraqi trade unionists and civil society activists gather at the Oil Institute of Basra for a two-day conference aimed at fighting the privatisation of Iraqi oil. The conference is organised by the General Union of Oil Employees, a union strong in Iraq’s south but unaffiliated to any of Iraq’s main union federations. Six papers written by professors from Basra University on the subject of privatisation will be presented and discussed on the first day of the conference. The following day will be dedicated to international contributions and messages of solidarity. Naomi Klein...

Australia/Iraq Trade Union Solidarity (AUSIRAQ)

A Sydney group has been formed to raise money for and build links with Iraqi unions. In July a meeting initiated by Workers Liberty held at the Gaelic Club led to the formation of the Australia/Iraq Trade Union Solidarity group. Frustration with the refusal of most of the left to support the struggle of the workers’ movement in Iraq gave rise to this development. A fund raiser in December raised several hundred dollars which has been distributed to union groups in Iraq. If you want to find out more, feel free to join the AUSIRAQ email list, send a blank email to ausiraq-subscribe@yahoogroups...

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