At the recent conference of the IFTU-affiliated Transport & Communication Workers' Union delegates unanimously passed a motion instructing the newly elected union leadership to reclaim the union's Baghdad office building closed since December 6 2003 by an act of illegal aggression by troops of the occupation authority.
At the time of the unjustified attack, the international labour movement responded quickly and effectively to the appeal that the Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU) issued to the international labour movement and supporters of freedom, democracy and human rights all over the world to condemn the vicious attack by the occupation forces:
"The American occupation forces, using a force of about ten armoured cars and tens of soldiers, attacked the temporary headquarters of the IFTU (at the headquarters of the Transport & Communication Workers' Union, in Karkh district, Allawi Al Hilla, Baghdad) at 10.30 am on Saturday 6/12/2003, and arrested 8 of its leaders and cadres, who were handcuffed and taken away to an unknown destination.
"The attackers ransacked and destroyed the IFTU's possessions, tearing down banners and posters condemning acts of terror, tarnishing the name of the IFTU and that of the General Union of Transport Workers (on the building's main front) with black paint and smashing windows glass, without giving any reason or explanation.
"The IFTU, as one of the most important organization of civil society, that includes within its ranks sons of working class, the builders of a new Iraq and the democratic future of Iraq, strongly condemns this unjustified terrorizing act by the occupation forces which targetted trade unionist cadres and leaders who are well-known for their struggle against the hated dictatorship... calling for the release of our detained colleagues as soon as possible, and condemning any attempt to launch a new attack on trade union centres, or further arrests of trade union leaders, we stress that the Iraqi working class will not forgive this attack which constitutes a blatant violation of democracy and human rights."
Executive Bureau - The Iraqi Federation of Workers Trade Unions (IFTU)
The 8 arrested trade unionists were released unharmed on Sunday 7th December 2003.
Now in a sign of the growing confidence of Iraq's democratic, independent labour movement, the Transport & Communication Workers' Union Conference has mandated it's newly-elected Executive Committee and the re-elected General Secretary, Mr Turkey Al Lehabey to take immediate steps to re-take control of their offices - the rightful property of the Iraqi labour movement.
On 1 July 2004 Transport & Communication Workers' Union leaders led a march on the office premises. The march included delegations from many branches of the union from Baghdad and other cities. The marchers reopened the building which adjoins one of Baghdad's main bus stations for the first time since it was closed by the Americans during their military raid on December 6 2004.
In scenes which witnesses compared to a carnival, the Transport & Communication Workers' Union leaders re-dedicated themselves to the organisation of the Iraqi working class and in particular those workers employed by the private bus company which is believed to have made the original complaint about the orgainising activities of the IFTU which led to the illegal attack on the union headquarters by the US occupation forces. The offices will once more be used as the main Baghdad union premises of IFTU-affiliated trade unions.
Posted at August 4, 2004 07:56 PM