Motion Regarding Iraqi Oil Law

Motion Regarding Iraqi Oil Law

This branch/union notes
The US/UK occupation of Iraq, which began in March 2003.

That Iraq is an oil rich country.

Trade unions in many sectors of industry in Iraq, including the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions.

That US companies have been researched and named by US Labour Against the War to have interests in taking over Iraqi assets including its oil.

That US government and troops have put pressure on the Iraqi government to sign a law, which effectively privatises Iraq’s oil. Unions in the oil sector have been on strike several times to try to resist such moves. They also have demands related to wages and working conditions, including a demand for wage increases; the payment of a previously agreed bonus that is based on the distribution to workers of a proportion of oil revenues achieved by the company; no salary deductions to be made for granted vacation days; and the delivery of land parcels for housing to workers. The IFOU wrote to the Minister of Oil in June 2007, outlining their demands.

In June 2007, the army surrounded oil workers while US helicopters were above them, trying to intimidate the IFOU.

This Branch/Union Condemns
The sending in of troops to crush a legitimate strike by the IFOU

This Branch/Union believes
The US has put such pressure on the Iraqi government to sign the oil law quickly, so oil profits go to US companies rather than to the Iraqi people.

That the US/UK occupation has been a disaster and the US is keen to gain “something for its investment” of troops in Iraq.

That the Iraqi people should be allowed to decide the future of their oil and its revenue.

That the strike should be settled by negotiation with the IFOU and the Iraqi government. The US should leave the oil fields and the whole country of Iraq.

That the trade unions in Iraq are its best hope for a stable and secular future.

This Branch/Union resolves
To lobby our MPs, MSPs to use their influence to tell the US to leave the Iraqi people to decide the destiny of their oil.

To send a message of solidarity to the IFOU and support their demands a settlement should be reached by negotiation without pressure from the US.

To circulate information from Iraqi trades unions in relation to the strikes and struggles of Iraqi unions to keep control of their oil, petrol, gas and other strategic resources.

To make a donation to the TUC Iraq appeal and affiliate to Iraq Union Solidarity or Iraq Union Solidarity Scotland.