The attack on labour rights today: Iraqi, US and UK union solidarity
against war, occupation and enforced privatisation

A meeting with Gene Bruskin Co-Convenor of the over 3 million strong trade union anti-war organisation US Labor Against War,

Leader of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions Hassan Jumaa Awad has sent the following message urging action against the decision of the Iraqi Oil Minister to transfer 8 union activists - a move which has been defined as 'a human rights crime'. This marks an escalation in repression against the Union which is a potent anti-occupation and anti privatisation force in Iraq This comes at a time when serious military, economic and political pressure is being exerted by occupying powers for the ratification of the Oil Law. More moves such as this can be expected and must therefore be resisted now.

From US Labor Against War www.uslaboragainstwar.org

U.S. Labor Against the War is pleased to be able to share with you two important communications from the working people of Iraq to the workers and people of the world. The first is a statement of solidarity from the General Union of Port Workers in Iraq to the members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) in support of the decision by ILWU members to shut down all the ports on the West Coast as a demonstration of their opposition to the war and 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.

A year after the world was stunned by images of a 17 year old girl being stoned to death in Iraqi Kurdistan; an international panel will debate the rise of honour killings, violence against women, gender apartheid and political Islam in Kurdistan/Iraq and the Middle East.

BP in Iraq - 'Blatant Piracy'

Take action at British Petroleum's annual general meeting on Thursday April 17th at London's Excel Centre...

The big oil multinationals thought the prize was theirs under new production-sharing agreements in the war-torn country. But the 'Iraqi wealth for the Iraqi people' movement is growing amid internecine conflicts and trade union resistance. Ewa Jasiewicz reports

Union news connecting UK unions with the new unions in Iraq

A video of demonstration can be seen at
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cee_1184590207

Eye witness and news reports follow of a demonstration of hundreds of Iraqi workers, protesting at the proposed oil law which seeks to privatise and sell off the massive Iraqi oil fields to wetern corporations.

Oil workers in Basra in southern Iraq are on strike demanding local control of oil resources and back pay, targeting the central oil minister. However, the US puppet regime has issued arrest orders against union leaders, threatening to break the strike "with an iron fist". The reports here include a press release by the union, supportive coverage from a solidarity group and a news report from Reuters.

Condemn the brutal stoning to death of Doa - a young girl whose only crime was to fall in love

Please sign our petition online: http://www.petitiononline.com/kurdish/petition-sign.html

The independent Iraqi union movement, often under attack from the so-called 'resistance' has been raided by US and Iraqi state force.
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