Iraqi Workers Strike to Keep Their Oil

[pberq]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2007/06/13/iraqi-workers-strike-to-keep-their-oil/

Photojournalist and trade unionist David Bacon sends this report on the Iraqi oil workers’ strike.

The Bush administration has no love for unions anywhere. But in Iraq it has a special reason for hating them. They are the main opposition to the occupation’s economic agenda and the biggest obstacle to that agenda’s centerpiece—the privatization of Iraq’s oil.

At the same time, unions have become the only force in Iraq trying to maintain at least a survival living standard for the millions of Iraqis who still have to go to work every day in the middle of the war.

Last week, Iraqi anger over starvation incomes and oil rip-offs boiled over. On June 4, the biggest and strongest of the Iraqi unions, the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU), launched a limited strike to underline its call for keeping oil in public hands and to force the government to live up to its economic promises. Workers on the pipelines carrying oil from the rigs in the south to Baghdad’s big refinery stopped work. It was a very limited job action, which still allowed the Iraqi economy to function.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki responded by calling out the army and surrounding the strikers at Sheiba, near Basra. Then he issued arrest warrants for the union’s leaders. On June 6, the union postponed the strike until June 11. Rather than resume the strike, the workers returned to the bargaining table. (Click here for AFL-CIO President John Sweeney’s response to the Iraqi government’s actions against the strikers.)

. . .

[glowing]

1. I had a meeting in Senator Nelson's office the other day (fl-D)

I mentioned two items which the top aide in this office . #1 Iraqi's drafting legislation to end the US occupation and #2. Iraqi oil workers striking. Her eyes became wide and a bit shocked. This was the first time she had heard of this.

Seems odd to me that I know these things before people who are supposed to help advise the Senator on important votes.

[Roland99]

2. "al-Maliki responded by calling out the army and surrounding the strikers "

Maybe Lieberman is right. Diplomacy is achieved through a credible threat of force.




:sarcasm:

[pberq]

3. U.S. fighter jets buzzed striking workers

". . .One demand overshadows even these basic needs—renegotiation of the oil law that would turn the industry itself over to foreign corporations. And it is this demand that has brought out even the U.S. fighter jets, which have circled and buzzed over the strikers’ demonstrations. In Iraq, the hostile maneuvering of military aircraft is not an idle threat to the people below. This standoff reflects a long history of actions in Iraq by both the Iraqi government and the U.S. occupation administration to suppress union activity."

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. I think that piece is from the 9th June - here's an update

a link to the apparently original piece on Truthout dated 9th June

Update:
Iraqi Workers Declare Victory http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=1087939

and

Iraq Oil Strike Called Off

BASRA, Iraq, June 11 (UPI) -- Iraq's oil unions ended their strike, which was to restart Monday and include oil exports, after a government committee was formed to address demands.

Hassan Jumaa Awad, president of the Iraq Federation of Oil Unions, released a statement that the work stoppage that began last week and was to escalate Monday will be canceled.

The IFOU, an umbrella union federation representing more than 26,000 workers, met for the past five days with a delegation sent to Basra, Iraq, by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
...
Awad said the "minister of state for parliament affairs" led Maliki's delegation last week and the sides agreed to officially form the committee, resulting in the unions calling off the strike.

http://www.upi.com/Energy/Briefing/2007/06/11/iraq_oil_strike_called_off/9676/

[pberq]

5. thanks for the update!