Democracy Now!
Monday, June 13th, 2005
Iraqi Oil Workers Fight Privatization and Occupation
Public sector unions in Iraq were outlawed by Saddam Hussein in 1987. Now, the Iraqi labor movement is protesting plans by U.S. occupation authorities to privatize state owned industries. We speak with the president of the General Union of Oil Workers.
Though we don't often hear about the labor movement in Iraq, the country has a long history of union activism that dates back to the 1920’s when the British first began exporting oil from the country. Saddam Hussein banned unions for public workers in 1987 because he feared a progressive movement would topple his dictatorship. When the U.S occupation of Iraq began, the U.S authorities refused to repeal that law. Instead in September of 2003, Paul Bremer, the top U.S. official overseeing the Iraqi occupation, issued an order to privatize the country’s state owned industries, which include its oil industry.
But the Iraqi people are speaking out against privatization. At the end of May, a large conference was held in Basra that focused on the threat of privatization of Iraq’s oil fields. Oil workers voiced their opposition to privatization and to selling their oil to foreign companies at discounted prices. They also called for an end to the occupation and a withdrawal of foreign troops.
Hassan Juma'a Awad al-Asade, president of the General Union of Oil Workers in Iraq. He is touring the U.S. along with five other trade unionists from Iraq. He joins us in our studio in D.C. Mohamed Taam is translating.
David Bacon, a veteran labor journalist who recently returned from Basra. He has an op-ed piece about Iraqi unions in yesterday’s San Francisco Chronicle.
Listen and View the Democracy Now!interview at:
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/06/13/146243#transcript-------------------------------------------------------------------
Iraqi Labor Leaders Tour Events And Contact Information
TOUR EVENTS
Washington, DC: Dinner with Iraqi Trade Union Leaders
Monday, June 13th 2005 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Donations $25/ticket ahead of time or at the door
Washington, DC: Iraqi Unionists Speak Out: Resistance Under Occupation
Tuesday, June 14th 2005 7:00PM-9:00PM
Open to public
Washington, DC: Press Briefing
Tuesday, June 14th 2005 9:00AM-11:00AM
Open to press
Baltimore, Maryland: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Forum
Wednesday, June 15th 2005 6:30PM
Open to public
Washington, DC: Iraqi Trade Unionist speak at AFL-CIO
Wednesday, June 15th 2005 5:30PM-8:00PM
Open, but limited space
Los Angeles, California: LA Valley College Forum featuring Iraqi oil union leaders
Thursday, June 16th 2005 1:00PM
Open to public
St. Paul, Minnesota: Democracy @ Work in Iraq and the US?
Thursday, June 16th 2005 7:00PM
Open to public
Piscataway, New Jersey: Rutgers Public event featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Thursday, June 16th 2005 12:00PM - 2:00PM
Open to public
New York City, New York: Cornell University Labor Breakfast Forum featuring Iraqi labor leaders
Friday, June 17th 2005 8:30AM-10:30AM
RSVP required, $15/person
Chicago, Illinois: Iraqi Trade Unionists Speak
Friday, June 17th 2005 6:00PM
Open to public
New York, New York: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Event
Friday, June 17th 2005 5:30PM-8:00PM
Open to public
Los Angeles, California: Labor Forum featuring Iraqi oil union leaders: "The Iraqi Struggle for Labor Rights and Against Privatization
Saturday, June 18th 2005 3:00PM
Open to public
Los Angeles, California: Community Forum featuring Iraqi oil leaders "The Iraqi Struggle for Labor Rights and Against Privatization"
Saturday, June 18th 2005 7 PM
Open to public
New Orleans, Louisiana: Soulstice Experience
Saturday, June 18th 2005 12:00 Noon - 8:00 PM
Peace Rally, march, music, speakers, and family picnic to Bring the Troops Home Now!
Atlanta , Georgia: The Black Radical Congress Presents: Iraqi Union Leaders Speak Out
Saturday, June 18th 2005 7:30PM
Open to public
Berkeley, California: Public Forum with Iraqi Oil Union Leaders
Sunday, June 19th 2005 6:45-9 PM
$5.00 or more requested but no one turned away for lack of funds.
Detroit, Michigan: The New Iraqi Labor Movement and the Right to Organize
Sunday, June 19th 2005 5:30PM
Open to public
San Jose, California: Iraqi Unions are Organizing, Despite all!
Sunday, June 19th 2005 1:30PM - 3:30PM
$5 admission, but no one turned away.
Madison, Wisconsin: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Forum
Monday, June 20th 2005 12:00PM - 1:00 PM
Open to public
Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Event
Monday, June 20th 2005 7:00PM
Open to public
Lynn, Massachusetts: Public meeting featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Monday, June 20th 2005 5:00PM
Open to public
Martinez, California: Iraqi Labor Tour: Contra Costa County Event
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 6:00PM
Open to public
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The US and Iraq: Jobs or Occupations?
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 7:00PM
Open to the public.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Labor Luncheon featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 12:00PM
Open to labor, RSVP required
Roxbury, Massachusetts: Public meeting featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 6:00PM
Open to public
Boston, Massachusetts: UMass Lunch and Discussion featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 12:00PM
Contact for details
Hartford, Connecticut: Iraqi Workers and the War
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 6:00PM
Open to public
Cheektowaga, New York: "Labor and the War" forum featuring Iraqi Trade Union Leaders
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 6:00PM - 9:00PM
Open to public
Portland, Oregon: Iraqi Labor Tour 2005 - Portland Event
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 7:00 p.m.
Learn how the Bush Administration's pro-corporate, anti-labor agenda is playing out in the lives of ordinary working people in Iraq.
Seattle, Washington: Discussion with Iraqi Labor Leaders: "The Fight Against Pritivatization and Worker Protections"
Thursday, June 23rd 2005 7:00PM
Seattle, Washington: Press Conference
Thursday, June 23rd 2005 11:00AM
Open to public
Cleveland, Ohio: COMMUNITY FORUM ON IRAQ
Friday, June 24th 2005 7:30PM
Open to public, $5 suggested donation, but no one turned away
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Iraqi Labor Leaders Speak Out!
Friday, June 24th 2005 6:00PM-8:00PM
$30; $15 for low-income or unemployed workers. Inquire in advance for tickets.
-------------------------------------------------------------
CONTACT INFORMATION
East coast: IFTU
June 15: Baltimore
Contact: Fred Mason
fmason@mddcaflcio.org
June 16-17: New York City
Contact: Bill Henning
cwabhenning@aol.com
June 18-19: Vermont
Contact: Dawn Stanger
upsyours@adelphia.net
June 20-21: Boston
Contact: Russ Davis
russdavis@comcast.net
June 22: Hartford
Contact: Steve Thornton
homefront1@hotmail.com
June 23: Stony Brook, NY
Contact: Michael Zweig
mzweig@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
June 24: Philadelphia
Contact: John Braxton
morbraxton@aol.com
Midwest: FWCUI
June 16: Minnesota
Contact: Tara Widner
twidner@uswa.org
June 17-18: Chicago
Contact: Thomas Bacon
thomasbacon@uslaboragainstwar.org
June 18-19: Atlanta
Contact: Ajamu Dillahunt
ardillahunt@igc.org
June 19: Detroit
Contact: Mike Parker
mparker00@rts-tech.com
June 20: Madison and Milwaukee
Contact: Carol Weidel and Sue Ruggles
carolaweidel@aol.com
ruggless@matc.edu
June 21: Pittsburgh
Contact: John Lacny
lacnyj@seiu1199p.org
June 22-23: Buffalo
Contact: Tom Johnson
trj3@cornell.edu
June 24: Cleveland
Contact: Gabe Kramer
labor.of.love@juno.com
West Coast: GUOE
June 16-18: Los Angeles
Contact: Andy Griggs
LAUSLAW1@aol.com
June 16 and June 19-21: SF Bay Area
Contact: Michael Eisenscher
m_eisenscher@uslaboragainstwar.org
June 22: Portland
Contact: Bob Marshall
Bobm@seiu49.org
June 23: Seattle
Contact: Kathy Lipscomb
kathylipscomb@juno.com
June 24: Philadelphia
Contact: John Braxton
morbraxton@aol.com
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