Iraq news you won't find in the corporate media

Iraq news you won't find in the corporate media
January 2005

Striking unions ask for international support

A report from the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI), on labor struggles in Iraq.

January 2005--Since its establishment the FWCUI has been organizing and mobilizing workers to defend their rights and maintain their unity in their struggles and uphold their ideals. FWCUI has been organizing in the middle of cross-fire between the two poles of international terrorism led by the US and political Islam. The recent very successful conference of workers in Basra centered around the slogan of "the power of the working class is in its unity and organization" has provided a new vision for the workers struggle in Iraq as well as a model for organizing and unity.

Since the Basra conference we have witnessed a marked increase in activities and the formation of a number of branches of FWCUI in many workplaces and factories. Such developments have attracted the attention of the authorities in the cities of Baghdad, Basra and Saharaban. Labor activists have been threatened by the authorities and prevented from joining FWCUI.

Now a new wave of heroic strikes have swept industries like the Textile in the city of Kut, in which the workers were suppressed and shot at by the authorities, also the strike of Electricity Power Station in Nasriyah, the chemical, and plastic industry, and soft drink factory workers in Baghdad, and in Basra Electricity Power Station.

The main demands of these workers are the right to strike and the right to organization. Increase in wages linked to inflation, ban on overtime, improved health and safety standards, payment of annual bonuses and in many occasions replacement of corrupt mangers and administration. ... More information about the workers strikes in detail could be found on our web page: www.uuiraq.org

These series of successful strikes in which the workers managed to impose their demands on the US appointed Interim Government and the bosses was a major step forward for workers in their daily struggle. The workers in Iraq, more than ever, during these crucial times need your support. International political, moral and financial support will give our movement in Iraq continuity and motivation to fight for more rights.

You can send solidarity messages to striking workers
You can send condemnation (or protest) letters to Iraqi Authorities and US forces who are violating international conventions including brutal suppressions of workers.
You can send your financial support to FWCUI www.uuiraq.org

Electoral program of the Iraqi Left

January 5, 2005-Main Points of the Program of People's Unity (Ittihad Al-Shaab) Electoral List:

People's Unity (Ittihad Al-Shaab) List is a coalition electoral list that includes 275 Iraqi Communists, democrats and independent patriotic and social figures, with 91 women candidates, covering all Iraq's provinces. The candidates represent the full social, ethnic and religious spectrum of Iraqi society.

The participants struggle to achieve a host of objectives, including:

Establishing a federal democratic regime that guarantees rights for all Iraqis, ensures a life free of violence and terror, and enables them to end the occupation, achieve full independence, and rebuild the homeland on the basis of cooperation, democracy and social justice.
Ensuring that Iraqis enjoy all political freedoms and civil rights, and developing the spirit of Iraqi citizenship, instead of using sectarian and nationalist criteria as a basis for sharing political power.
Striving to regain full national sovereignty over all the country's powers and national resources.
To speed up the provision of security and stability which are essential for a speedy restoration of public services.
Defending without fail the interests of working people and down-trodden strata, and combating relentlessly the administrative corruption and bribery.
Rebuilding state institutions on the basis of citizenship, efficiency and integrity, especially the police, army and national defence forces, and ensuring that they are not infiltrated by the hostile forces.
Respect for human rights, and dealing firmly with those who violate them.
Ensuring the rights of nationalities, through federalism for Iraqi Kurdistan, and securing cultural and administrative rights for the Turcomans, Chaldo-Assyrians, Menda'is, Yezidis, and others.
Respect for Islam and other religions, and ensuring the right of believers to exercise their religious codes and ceremonies.
Defending relentlessly the rights of women and their equality with men, and ensuring the rights of motherhood and children.
Taking measures to ensure that those who had been expelled from work for political reasons return to their jobs, and guaranteeing their full rights.
Compensation for the families of martyrs and the "disappeared", and the victims of Anfal campaign of genocide, the Halabja massacre, the mass graves and the suppression of the popular uprising in March 1991, as well as Faili Kurds youth and other fighters against dictatorship.
Combating unemployment, improving people's standard of living, and preserving the purchasing power of their incomes.
Maintaining the food ration system and improving the quality of ration contents.
Tackling the injustice suffered by pensioners, and increasing their pay so as to ensure dignified life and secure old age.
Ensuring the rights of workers to earn fair wages, and the rights stipulated by the Labour Law.
Establishing a full social security system, and ensuring free health service.
...
Complete reform of the educational system, to satisfy the requirements of a democratic Iraq in this century.
Combating illiteracy and ensuring free education.

More at: http://www.iraqcp.org/framse1/