Iraqi Labor Leader Attacked - Register your protest!

[Better Believe It]

Iraqi Labor Leader Attacked - Register your protest!

From: Iraq Freedom Congress and General Federations of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI)

To: All labor unions and federations and progressive parties and movements around the world

On August 24, 2008 the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI) called for a mass demonstration against the recent decree issued by the Minister of Finance in which he ordered wage and benefit cuts for workers.

On that day, the officials asked the workers to send their representatives to negotiate with the minister's representative. As a result, Subhi Albadri
was elected to head a delegation of labor leaders to represent the workers who took to the street in the thousands.

After the meeting brother Albadri was stopped by the exit door of the ministry's building by a number of guards who belong to the Badr militia. The guards confiscated Subhi's personal belongings, beat him up and attempted to kidnap him but with efforts of the surrounding workers, brother Subhi was able to avoid the kidnap. The guards however shot at brother Subhi who miraculously escaped the bullets.

Later on the same day, the guards called Saeed Nima (GFWCUI vice president) and vowed to kill Subhi wherever and whenever they find him.

Brothers and sisters,

Once again this puppet government spares no effort to show the world how vicious and terrorizing it is when it comes to deal with the people's legitimate demands. This government also shows once again the amount of animosity it carries towards the Iraqis and workers in particular.

Brothers and sisters,

We appeal to you to support us by sending protest letters to the Iraqi government and its embassies around the world.
->Ask them to refrain from terrorizing workers
->Tell them that the workers demands are legitimate
->Tell them "workers rights are human rights"
->Tell them that you are in solidarity with the Iraqi labor movement in their struggle against the occupation who brought such puppet government.
Please send the letter below. It will be delivered electronically to the Iraqi Ambassador to the United States in Washington, DC, and to the Head of the Iraqi Mission to the United Nations, in New York City. You can use the text suggested or modify it as you prefer.



September 03, 2008

Subject:


Dear Ambassador:

On August 24, 2008 the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI) called for a mass demonstration against the recent decree issued by the Minister of Finance in which he ordered a significant reduction in the wages and benefits of workers. On that day, government officials asked the workers to send their representatives for negotiations with the minister's representatives. Subhi Albadri, President of the GFWCUI, was elected to head a delegation of labor leaders to represent workers who took to the street in the thousands. After the meeting Subhi Albadri was stopped at the exit door of the ministry by a number of guards who belong to the Badr militia. The guards confiscated his personal belongings, beat him up and attempted to kidnap him. The kidnap attempt was thwarted by other workers. The guards, however, shot at brother Subhi, who miraculously escaped the bullets. Later on the same day, the guards called Saeed Nima, Vice President of the GFWCUI, and vowed to kill President Albadri wherever and whenever they find him.

This incident is but the latest in a long record of assaults, kidnappings, torture, and assassinations of Iraqi labor leaders, ransacking of union offices and destruction and theft of union records and equipment, the unwarranted arrest and detention of union activists, freezing of union bank accounts and in other ways seeking to incapacitate union organizations. We are outraged that such egregious violations of labor and human rights continue in Iraq more than five years following the overthrow of the dictatorship. We consider the Iraqi government directly responsible for the safety of Subhi Albadri and the leaders of Iraq's other labor organizations. * Will the armed thugs responsible for the attack on Subhi Albadri be arrested and tried for their crimes? * Will the Iraqi government cease enforcement of Law 150, enacted by Saddam Hussein to prevent public sector and enterprise workers from organizing and being represented by unions of their choice? * Will the Iraqi government rescind Decree 8750, adopted in 2005, under which union bank accounts have been frozen, and stop interfering in the internal affairs of unions? * Will the Iraqi government promptly enact a new labor law that guarantees and fully respects the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain in unions of their choice, free of government interference, in conformity with internationally recognized norms established by Conventions of the International Labor Organization? There can be no real democracy in Iraq unless labor rights are respected and unions are allowed to operate freely. We are anxious to know whether your government intends to comply with international law and the norms of a democratic society.


This letter writing campaign is sponsored by U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), a national network of more than 180 affiliated labor organizations that are committed to ending the occupation of Iraq, immediately withdrawing and bringing home all U.S. military forces and security contractors, compensating Iraqis for the damage the invasion and occupation have caused, and reordering our domestic priorities to meet human needs at home and abroad.

USLAW is also committed to supporting and offering solidarity to Iraq's labor movement as they organize for labor rights and to defend against foreign control and privatization of Iraqi oil and other publicly owned enterprises and services.


http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2488/t/4187/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=25407