Texas Labor Against the War

27 July 2009

This report is from the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions.

Upon invading Iraq in 2003, the U.S. government kept in force Saddam Hussein’s edict banning labor unions in the public sector (which is the majority of the economy, including oil).  Nonetheless, Iraqi trade unionists have fought to rebuild their labor movement.  They have had to withstand attacks by both the U.S. and Iraqi authorities.  Iraqi unions have called for an end to the illegal occupation and for an end to U.S.-promoted plans to privatize industries and contract out control of Iraq’s oil resources to multi-national, U.S.-allied corporations.

This report is also available on the U.S. Labor Against the War website:

http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?id=19956

Negotiations are presently taking place between the ICEM-affiliated, Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU) and the Iraqi Drilling Company, following demonstrations and a workplace strike 24 June, 2009.

Management called in Iraqi security forces, who cordoned off the demonstrators and workplaces. We are informed that only the demonstrators’ determination and good will prevented violence, given that the management had informed the military forces that the demonstrators were terrorists. Workers left at the end of their working hours but returned on the second day, gathering in front of the worksites and halting operating machines.

Workers submitted their demands to the management which include: reopening the trade union, which had been closed by the Director-General, upon the Minister’s directive; re-activating the productivity allowances payments and various other allowances; and moreover, the workers called on the ministry to be patient in the signing of licensing contracts which the ministry want to conclude.

Iraq’s oil workers are legally prevented from forming unions, based on remaining Saddam Hussein-era laws. The workers have organized nonetheless. The 2005 Constitution calls for new labour laws.

Iraqi oil unions have repeatedly protested working conditions; including pay and housing, and opposition to the draft oil law, viewed as too open to foreign investment. The Oil Ministry has instructed its state oil companies not to deal with the unions and has come down hard in the past, as often reported by the ICEM. See recent ICEM reports on Iraq here.

Iraq has the world’s third largest oil reserves, with considerable potential for increased levels of production. Iraq earns around 95 percent of state income from oil sales, nearly $62 billion last year.

Negotiations are continuing with workers at the Iraqi Drilling Company. The ICEM will report further developments in this brave struggle for trade union rights.