US Labor Against War Demonstrates at Iraqi Embassy in DC over Labor Rights in Iraq

[marmar]

from AfterDowningStreet.org:
http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/?q=node/25909


US Labor Demonstrates at Iraqi Embassy in DC over Labor Rights in Iraq
Submitted by davidswanson on Fri, 2007-08-17 13:11. Media
By US Labor Against War

The AFL-CIO and its Solidarity Center, the DC Metro Labor Council and USLAW organized a demonstration Thursday in front of the Washington, DC embassy of the Republic of Iraq in solidarity with the labor movement of Iraq, and in particular the Federation of Oil Unions, recently declared illegal by the Minister of Oil.

The demonstration was organized to protest continuing violations of labor rights in Iraq as a result of the decision of the Maliki government to continue to enforce a ban on unions and bargaining for workers in public enterprises and public sector workplaces. The ban was originally put in place by Saddam Hussein in 1987. It was continued in effect by Viceroy Paul Bremer after the invasion during the Occupation Authority, and then was maintained by the Interim Governing Authority.

Despite the ban, Iraq has a vibrant militant democratic labor movement. The Oil Workers Union represents more than 26,000 of the 36,000 workers in the oil sector. Members of the union succeeded in booting KBR out of the oil sector early in the occupation when Bremer gave the company a no-bid sweetheart contract to refurbish and run the oil industry. They have conducted strikes over mistreatment of workers, low wages, dangerous working conditions, and in opposition to the proposed hydrocarbon law the U.S. is trying to cram down the throats of the Iraqi parliament.

The law would effectively privatize 2/3 of Iraq's oil reserves, believed to be either 2nd or 3rd largest in the world, for 30 years or more. It would return Iraq to the conditions that existed during colonial rule by the British before the oil sector was nationalized. The overwhelming majority of Iraqis are resolutely opposed to privatization of their oil - revenue from the sale of which supports 90% of the Iraq government's budget and is essential to reconstruction of the country. Iraqis will defend their national sovereignty and Iraq's labor movement will lead them.

Watch video clips of the speeches at the demonstration delivered by Barbara Shailor, AFL-CIO Director of International Affairs, Shawna Bader-Blau, Coordinator of Iraq solidarity work at Solidarity Center, and Denice Lombard, Coordinator of the International Solidarity Task Force of U.S. Labor Against the War. A link to the videos is also available on the USLAW website homepage at www.uslaboragainstwar.org.

[ck4829]

1. K&R

[rodeodance]

2. of course the WH/Brenmer would not support a Union. Good for the Iraqi people.