AusIraq, in Australia, has put out a petition supporting the Iraqi oil unions now under attack from the Iraqi government. Download an adapted version here; please circulate it and seek signatures.
To the Government of Iraq
We, the undersigned protest that:
The Iraqi government has maintained and used Saddam's infamous Decree 150 of 1987 that banned all trade union activity by deeming workers in the state sectors to be 'civil servants' without the right to organise.
In August 2005 the Iraqi government issued Decree 8750, authorising itself to confiscate all trade-union funds
Recently the US-backed government of Nouri Al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi army to harass striking oil workers in Basra and arrest its leaders, including Secretary Hassan Jumaa, for opposing the privatisation of Iraqi oil. It has forcibly closed union offices in Basra and evicted union staff.
Oil minister Hussain al-Shahristani has instructed oil industry bosses not to deal with the oil unions, citing Decree 150.
We demand:
that the Iraqi government immediately stop harassment of Iraqi oil workers and their union.
that the Iraqi government abide by its own Constitution, specifically Article 22, which states: “The State shall guarantee the right of forming and joining professional associations and unions.”
Please send to:
Embassy of the Republic of Iraq, 106 Gloucester Place, London W1U 6HU: email lonemb@iraqmofamail.net, with copies to:
Embassy of the United States, APO AE 09316, Baghdad, Iraq, and
Iraq Union Solidarity, c/o Unison, 14A Willoughby Road, London N8 0HR: iraqunionsolidarity@yahoo.com
