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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