More info : http://www.iraqunionsolidarity.org/
Message From the Preparatory Committee for the First International Labor Conference in Iraq
Dear Brothers and Sisters in the global struggle for workers’ rights, peace and justice:
Plans are underway to hold an International Labor Conference in Iraq in August 2008. We see this as an important and urgent step toward strengthening and unifying the labor movement in Iraq. Only through increased solidarity in Iraq, and with workers in the region and around the world can we hope to impact the fate not only of workers but of all Iraqis.
We call upon all unions and labor organizations around the world to support this conference morally and financially. Your expressions of solidarity with workers in Iraq in the past have given us a lifeline of hope. Your continued participation and support for this conference will buoy and strengthen the Iraqi labor movement. Only through unity can we hope to achieve democracy, freedom, security and prosperity.
Iraq's labor movement is a force for unifying our nation. A strong labor movement is also essential to the future of any democracy in Iraq. Labor unions transcend the sectarian conflict unleashed by the U.S.-led occupation. The invasion and occupation turned Iraq into an arena for settling international accounts and a base for exporting terrorism to the world. Workers represent the majority of Iraqis who do not have any interest in the ongoing terrorist violence. When sectarian gangs have attempted to transfer their conflicts into the ranks of workers, they have been rejected.
Iraq's labor unions are the glue that binds Iraqi people in the north, center and south. In some areas, the glue is strong, but in other areas of the country unions are isolated. Our goal with the August conference is to strengthen the ties between all worker organizations and focus on our common priorities. Those who feel isolated need to know that they have support from the international labor movement.
Iraqi workers need your support if we are to speak in one voice to reclaim our sovereignty.
Five years of invasion, war and occupation have brought nothing but death, destruction, misery and suffering to our people. Millions of Iraqis, the majority of them workers, have been killed, wounded and displaced inside and outside of Iraq as a result of the U.S.-led occupation.
In the name of our “liberation” the invaders have destroyed our nation's infrastructure, bombed our neighbourhoods, broken into our homes, traumatized our children, assaulted and arrested many of our family members and neighbours, permitted the looting of our national treasures, and turned nearly twenty percent of our people into refugees.
The occupation is determined to impose its economic and political will on Iraqis. The occupiers came with designs on our national riches - our oil - and schemes to privatize our industries, utilities, ports and public services and to put Iraq's national resources under the control of foreign corporations and international financial institutions.
All decisions, decrees and resolutions of the dictatorship have been nullified or changed except the ones that concern the working class. In fact, the occupation has added more unjust conditions to complement those created by the former regime.
In violation of every precept of internationally recognized labor rights, the occupation has banned trade unions in the public sector, privatized state-owned and run enterprises, intervened in workers’ affairs by proposing to recognize only one government-approved labor federation, and blocked any legislation that protects workers from poverty, disease and unjust employers. Our union offices have been raided. Union property has been seized and destroyed. Our bank accounts have been frozen.
In the last five years workers have been the target of terrorist acts in their workplaces and homes. Our leaders have been beaten, arrested, abducted and assassinated. Our rights as workers are routinely violated.
Now the U.S. administration attempts to provoke and threaten war with Iran. We condemn these actions and will struggle to prevent another disastrous war on Iran where the victims will always be the workers, their families and loved ones.
We believe that the workers of Iraq can form a strong front for social justice and peace if supported by our brothers and sisters in the region and around the world.
Please help us take a stand against this disastrous situation that will have catastrophic implications for the workers of Iraq and threatens the peace and security of the entire world.
We call on your support and ask for your presence at the conference.
We need your financial help to underwrite the high costs of this conference. We need to raise more than $150,000.
We want your participation. The conference will take place from August 22nd through to 24th, 2008 in the city of Erbil, a relatively stable area of Iraq in the north, in a secure location. Please let us know if your organization will send observers. Their safety can be assured.
In Solidarity
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Monday, 23 June 2008
Friday, 21 March 2008
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
US dockers plan
US dockers plan strike to end occupation of Iraq
As workers in struggle went to press we heard news of
the plans of American dockers to stage a strike on May
1st against the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union
conference in San Francisco has passed a motion
“calling on unions and working people in the US and
internationally to mobilize for a "No Peace No Work
Holiday" on May 1, 2008 for 8 hours to demand an
immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and
Afghanistan and the withdrawal of US troops from the
Middle East”.
Citing the fact that both the Republicans and Democrats
are committed to continuing occupations of Iraq and
Afghanistan and threaten a fresh war against Iran, the
dockers argue for workers to take the initiative
themselves and mount industrial action against war.
This call to the international labour movement echoed
the actions of train drivers in Motherwell and Italian
dockers who in 2003 refused to transport weapons
intended for use in Iraq, as well as teachers in Oakland
who staged a strike against the occupation last May.
Solidarity with workers in the Middle East must include
working-class action against our own governments and
the building of an internationalist workers’ movement
opposed to war and imperialism. The call of the ILWU
dockers for strike action on May 1st must be amplified
in order to guarantee and effective action demonstrating
the power of the organised working class and promoting
international labour movement unity.
As workers in struggle went to press we heard news of
the plans of American dockers to stage a strike on May
1st against the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan.
The International Longshore and Warehouse Union
conference in San Francisco has passed a motion
“calling on unions and working people in the US and
internationally to mobilize for a "No Peace No Work
Holiday" on May 1, 2008 for 8 hours to demand an
immediate end to the war and occupation in Iraq and
Afghanistan and the withdrawal of US troops from the
Middle East”.
Citing the fact that both the Republicans and Democrats
are committed to continuing occupations of Iraq and
Afghanistan and threaten a fresh war against Iran, the
dockers argue for workers to take the initiative
themselves and mount industrial action against war.
This call to the international labour movement echoed
the actions of train drivers in Motherwell and Italian
dockers who in 2003 refused to transport weapons
intended for use in Iraq, as well as teachers in Oakland
who staged a strike against the occupation last May.
Solidarity with workers in the Middle East must include
working-class action against our own governments and
the building of an internationalist workers’ movement
opposed to war and imperialism. The call of the ILWU
dockers for strike action on May 1st must be amplified
in order to guarantee and effective action demonstrating
the power of the organised working class and promoting
international labour movement unity.
Deadly Cargo Screening
Deadly Cargo
Deadly Cargo Screening
Tracking the Nuclear Warhead Convoy
The UK premiere of Deadly Cargo will take place on Saturday the 29th of March at the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) Rose Street Glasgow between 12.30pm - 2pm.
http://www.camcorderguerillas.net/
Deadly Cargo Screening
Tracking the Nuclear Warhead Convoy
The UK premiere of Deadly Cargo will take place on Saturday the 29th of March at the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) Rose Street Glasgow between 12.30pm - 2pm.
http://www.camcorderguerillas.net/
Saturday, 8 March 2008
Monday, 25 February 2008
Iran: Release jailed workers, respect rights
The ITUC and the ITF are organising a global action day on 6 March 2008 to express our solidarity with Iranian workers once again. We want Mansour Osanloo and Mahmoud Salehi released immediately and unconditionally from prison. Their health conditions are deteriorating.
We also demand that fundamental workers' rights be respected in Iran, in accordance with the ILO core conventions. The imprisonment of Osanloo and Salehi are not isolated cases in Iran. Nine education workers were sentenced to 91 days in prison recently. The Iranian authorities claim they are "threats to the national security" although in reality, it is genuine trade union activities they want to crush.
Oppression of the independent workers' movement in Iran is escalating. That is why the global unions, together with human rights activists, wish to send a strong message to the Iranian government. 6 March falls two weeks prior to the Iranian New Year and the parliamentary elections.
We also demand that fundamental workers' rights be respected in Iran, in accordance with the ILO core conventions. The imprisonment of Osanloo and Salehi are not isolated cases in Iran. Nine education workers were sentenced to 91 days in prison recently. The Iranian authorities claim they are "threats to the national security" although in reality, it is genuine trade union activities they want to crush.
Oppression of the independent workers' movement in Iran is escalating. That is why the global unions, together with human rights activists, wish to send a strong message to the Iranian government. 6 March falls two weeks prior to the Iranian New Year and the parliamentary elections.
Wednesday, 30 January 2008
NO OIL FOR OCCUPATION! TRADE UNION RIGHTS NOW!
Demonstrate at the Middle East Energy 2008 conference attended by Iraqi
Oil Minister Dr Hussein al Shahristani
When? Tuesday 5th February 2008
Where? Royal Institute of International Affairs
10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE (map: http://tinyurl.com/38gajj)
What time? From 8.30am
Called by the Hands Off Iraqi Oil campaign, www.handsoffiraqioil.org
Tell Iraq's Oil Minister:
No Oil for Occupation! - privatisation laws and contracts signed under
occupation can have no validity. The vast majority of Iraqis want an
immediate end to the military and economic occupation of their country.
Most Iraqis also want their resources to stay in the public sector.
Trade Union Recognition Now! - stop using dictatorship laws to repress
trade unionism
Dr Shahristani also refuses to recognise trade unions in Iraq. He has
issued decrees for the national oil company not to negotiate with unions
and ordered the shut-down of union offices.
Iraq's economic future and potential independence hangs in the balance.
Iraqi oil accounts for approximately 90% of government revenue.
Whoever control's Iraq's oil development has a controlling stake in the
country's overall development. Since 2003, the British and US governments,
and international oil companies have been pushing for an oil law which
will hand over control of Iraq's oil to foreign companies.
In spite of massive military, political and economic pressure, from
Britain and the US, opposition at every level of Iraqi society has meant
that this law cannot be passed in its present form.
Despite mass opposition to the draft Oil Law, Oil Minister Dr Hussein
al Shahristani has declared Iraq 'open for business' and invited oil
companies to invest under existing Baath regime legislation.
Trade Union Recognition Now!
Dr Shahristani is also applying Saddam Hussein's anti-union laws,re-imposed by the occupation authorities and now kept on the law books by
the Iraqi authorities. This is clearly unacceptable and ironic given
Shahristani's imprisonment by the Ba'ath regime for over 10 years.
Iraq's trade unions have called the contracts pushed by the foreign
companies and the Oil Law - Production Sharing Agreements - a 'red line'.
PSAs will allow foreign companies to control the development and
depletion of oil reserves for 25 years. Once signed, PSAs will not be
re-negotiable. Iraq's sovereignty will be surrendered and its economic future
effectively mortgaged to the agendas of oil companies.
End the military and econmic occupation
We are asking the Minister of Oil to listen to the Iraqi people,
particularly those who work in the oil sector, in their demands for a
democratic process for deciding how and by whom Iraqi oil will be controlled.
We are calling for an immediate end to economic and military occupation
by foreign interests.
No to PSAs, No Oil for Occupation!
All Troops and Occupation Institutions Out Now!
Union Recognition and Resource Democracy Now!
Oil Minister Dr Hussein al Shahristani
When? Tuesday 5th February 2008
Where? Royal Institute of International Affairs
10 St James's Square, London SW1Y 4LE (map: http://tinyurl.com/38gajj)
What time? From 8.30am
Called by the Hands Off Iraqi Oil campaign, www.handsoffiraqioil.org
Tell Iraq's Oil Minister:
No Oil for Occupation! - privatisation laws and contracts signed under
occupation can have no validity. The vast majority of Iraqis want an
immediate end to the military and economic occupation of their country.
Most Iraqis also want their resources to stay in the public sector.
Trade Union Recognition Now! - stop using dictatorship laws to repress
trade unionism
Dr Shahristani also refuses to recognise trade unions in Iraq. He has
issued decrees for the national oil company not to negotiate with unions
and ordered the shut-down of union offices.
Iraq's economic future and potential independence hangs in the balance.
Iraqi oil accounts for approximately 90% of government revenue.
Whoever control's Iraq's oil development has a controlling stake in the
country's overall development. Since 2003, the British and US governments,
and international oil companies have been pushing for an oil law which
will hand over control of Iraq's oil to foreign companies.
In spite of massive military, political and economic pressure, from
Britain and the US, opposition at every level of Iraqi society has meant
that this law cannot be passed in its present form.
Despite mass opposition to the draft Oil Law, Oil Minister Dr Hussein
al Shahristani has declared Iraq 'open for business' and invited oil
companies to invest under existing Baath regime legislation.
Trade Union Recognition Now!
Dr Shahristani is also applying Saddam Hussein's anti-union laws,re-imposed by the occupation authorities and now kept on the law books by
the Iraqi authorities. This is clearly unacceptable and ironic given
Shahristani's imprisonment by the Ba'ath regime for over 10 years.
Iraq's trade unions have called the contracts pushed by the foreign
companies and the Oil Law - Production Sharing Agreements - a 'red line'.
PSAs will allow foreign companies to control the development and
depletion of oil reserves for 25 years. Once signed, PSAs will not be
re-negotiable. Iraq's sovereignty will be surrendered and its economic future
effectively mortgaged to the agendas of oil companies.
End the military and econmic occupation
We are asking the Minister of Oil to listen to the Iraqi people,
particularly those who work in the oil sector, in their demands for a
democratic process for deciding how and by whom Iraqi oil will be controlled.
We are calling for an immediate end to economic and military occupation
by foreign interests.
No to PSAs, No Oil for Occupation!
All Troops and Occupation Institutions Out Now!
Union Recognition and Resource Democracy Now!
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