[toeslist] FW: FLASH - Iraqi port workers to shut down ports for 1 hr May Day in solidarity with ILWU West Coast port shutdown
Brian Hill
Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 4:01 PM
To: Recipient List Suppressed:
Subject: FLASH - Iraqi port workers to shut down ports for 1 hr May Day in
solidarity with ILWU West Coast port shutdown
April 28, 2008
BREAKING NEWS: Members of the Port Workers Union of Iraq plan to shutdown
the ports of Umm Qasr and Khor Alzubair for one hour on May Day in
solidarity with the shutdown of all West Coast ports by members of ILWU in
opposition to the occupation of Iraq.
The second message is a May Day greeting from a broad cross-section of union
leaders from many different unions and labor federations in Iraq as an
expression of their appreciation for the solidarity demonstrated by
organized labor, working people and all peace-loving people of the world in
support of their efforts to end the foreign occupation of Iraq and the
sectarian violence that occupation has spawned.
[This statement continues to be circulated in Iraq and as additional signers
become known, their names will be added to
<http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=V0T5e7TW7NKc8DhLmu1K
CdbrmaxZVH36> the copy posted on the USLAW website.]
_____
May Day Message
From: The General Union of Port Workers in Iraq
To: The International Longshore and Warehouse Union in the United States
Dear Brothers and Sisters of ILWU in California:
The courageous decision you made to carry out a strike on May Day to protest
against the war and occupation of Iraq advances our struggle against
occupation to bring a better future for us and for the rest of the world as
well.
We are certain that a better world will only be created by the workers and
what you are doing is an example and proof of what we say. The labor
movement is the only element in the society that is able to change the
political equations for the benefit of mankind. We in Iraq are looking up
to you and support you until the victory over the US administration's
barbarism is achieved.
Over the past five years the sectarian gangs who are the product of the
occupation, have been trying to transfer their conflicts into our ranks.
Targeting workers, including their residential and shopping areas,
indiscriminately using all sorts of explosive devices, mortar shells, and
random shooting, were part of a bigger scheme that was aiming to tear up the
society but they miserably failed to achieve their hellish goal. We are
struggling today to defeat both the occupation and sectarian militias'
agenda.
The pro-occupation government has been attempting to intervene into the
workers affairs by imposing a single government-certified labor union.
Furthermore it has been promoting privatization and an oil and gas law to
use the occupation against the interests of the workers.
We the port workers view that our interests are inseparable from the
interests of workers in Iraq and the world; therefore we are determined to
continue our struggle to improve the living conditions of the workers and
overpower all plots of the occupation, its economic and political projects.
Let us hold hands for the victory of our struggle.
Long live the port workers in California!
Long live May Day!
Long live International solidarity!
The General Union of Port Workers in Iraq An Affiliate Union with General
Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI)
28-4-2008 EMPHASIS ADDED
_____
May Day 2008 Statement
From: The Iraqi Labour Movement
To: The Workers and All Peace Loving People of the World
On this day of international labour solidarity we call on our fellow trade
unionists and all those worldwide who have stood against war and occupation
to increase support for our struggle for freedom from occupation - both the
military and economic.
We call upon the governments, corporations and institutions behind the
ongoing occupation of Iraq to respond to our demands for real democracy,
true sovereignty and self-determination free of all foreign interference.
Five years of invasion, war and occupation have brought nothing but death,
destruction, misery and suffering to our people. 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 invaders helped to foment and then exploit sectarian divisions and
terror attacks where there had been none. Our union offices have been
raided. Union property has been seized and destroyed. Our bank accounts
have been frozen. Our leaders have been beaten, arrested, abducted and
assassinated. Our rights as workers have been routinely violated.
The Ba'athist legislation of 1987, which banned trade unions in the public
sector and public enterprises (80% of all workers), is still in effect,
enforced by Paul Bremer's post-invasion Occupation Authority and then by all
subsequent Iraqi administrations. This is an attack on our rights and basic
precepts of a democratic society, and is a grim reminder of the shadow of
dictatorship still stalking our country.
Despite the horrific conditions in our country, we continue to organise and
protest against the occupation, against workplaces abuses, and for better
treatment and safer conditions.
Despite the sectarian plots around us, we believe in unity and solidarity
and a common aim of public service, equality, and freedom to organise
without external intrusions and coercion.
Our legitimacy comes from our members. Our principles of organisation are
based on transparent and internationally recognised International Labour
Organisation standards.
We call upon our allies and all the world's peace-loving peoples to help us
to end the nightmare of occupation and restore our sovereignty and national
independence so that we can chart our own course to the future.
1) We demand an immediate withdrawal of all foreign troops from our country,
and utterly reject the agreement being negotiated with the USA for long-term
bases and a military presence. The continued occupation fuels the violence
in Iraq rather than alleviating it. Iraq must be returned to full
sovereignty.
2) We demand the passage of a labour law promised by our Constitution, which
adheres to ILO principles and on which Iraqi trade unionists have been fully
consulted, to protect the rights of workers to organize, bargain and strike,
independent of state control and interference.
3) We demand an end to meddling in our sovereign economic affairs by the
International Monetary Fund, USA and UK. We demand withdrawal of all
economic conditionalities attached to the IMF's agreements with Iraq,
removal of US and UK economic "advisers" from the corridors of Iraqi
government, and a recognition by those bodies that no major economic
decisions concerning our services and resources can be made while foreign
troops occupy the country.
4) We demand that the US government and others immediately cease lobbying
for the oil law, which would fracture the country and hand control over our
oil to multinational companies like Exxon, BP and Shell. We demand that all
oil companies be prevented from entering into any long-term agreement
concerning oil while Iraq remains occupied. We demand that the Iraqi
government tear up the current draft of the oil law, and begin to develop a
legitimate oil policy based on full and genuine consultation with the Iraqi
people. Only after all occupation forces are gone should a long term plan
for the development of our oil resources be adopted.
We seek your support and solidarity to help us end the military and economic
occupation of our country. We ask for your solidarity for our right to
organise and strike in defence of our interests as workers and of our public
services and resources. Our public services are the legacy of generations
before us and the inheritance of all future generations and must not be
privatised.
We thank you for standing by us. We too stand with you in your own
struggles for real democracy which we know you also struggle for, and
against privatisation, exploitation and daily disempowerment in your
workplaces and lives.
We commend those of you who have organised strikes and demonstrations to end
the occupation in solidarity with us and we hope these actions will
continue.
We look forward to the day when we have a world based on co-operation and
solidarity. We look forward to a world free from war, sectarianism,
competition and exploitation.
Endorsed by:
Hassan Juma'a Awad, President, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU)
Faleh Abood Umara, Deputy, Central Council, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions
(IFOU)
Falah Alwan, President, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq
(FWCUI)
Subhi Albadri, President, General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions
in Iraq (GFWCUI)
Nathim Rathi, President, Iraqi Port Workers Trade Union
Samir Almuawi, President, Engineering Professionals Trade Union
Ghzi Mushatat, President, Mechanic and Print Shop Trade Union
Waleed Alamiri, President, Electricity Trade Union
Ilham Talabani, President, Banking Services Trade Union
Abdullah Ubaid, President, Railway Trade Union Ammar Ali, President,
Transportation Trade Union
Abdalzahra Abdilhassan, President, Service Employees Trade Union
Sundus Sabeeh, President, Barber Shop Workers Trade Union
Kareem Lefta Sindan, President, Lumber and Construction Trade Union, General
Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW)
Sabah Almusawi, President, Wasit Independent Trade Union
Shakir Hameed, President, Lumber And Construction Trade Union (GFWCUI)
Awad Ahmed, President, Teachers Federation of Salahideen Alaa
Ghazi Mushatat, President, Agricultural And Food Substance Industries Adnan
Rathi Shakir, President, Water Resources Trade Union
Nahrawan Yas, President, Woman Affairs Bureau
Sabah Alyasiri, President (GFWCUI) Babil
Ali Tahi, President (GFWCUI)
Najaf Ali Abbas, President (GFWCUI) Basra
Muhi Abdalhussien, President (GFWCUI), Wasit
Ali Hashim Abdilhussien, President (GFWCUI) Kerbala
Ali Hussien, President (GFWCUI) Anbar
Mustafa Ameen, President, Arab Workers Bureau (GFWCUI)
Thameer Mzeail, Health Services, Union Committee
Khadija Saeed Abdullah, Teachers Federation, Member
Asmahan, Khudair, Woman Affairs, Textile Trade Unions Adil
Aljabiri, Oil Workers Trade Union Executive Bureau Member
Muhi Abdalhussien, Nadia Flaih, Service Employees Trade Unions
Rawneq Mohammed, Member, Media and Print Shop Trade Union
Abdlakareem Abdalsada, Vice President (GFWCUI)
Saeed Nima, Vice President (GFWCUI)
Sabri Abdalkareem, Member, (GFWCUI) Babil
Amjad Aljawhary, Representative of GFWCUI in North America