Hadi Salih
since the formal end of the US/UK occupation with UN Resolution 1546 which laid the basis for the ending of the Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), the Iraqi Governing Council (IGC) and lead to the subsequent formation of the Interim Government on the 28 June 2004. Three points emerge from which I would like to highlight
One of the most significant developments taking place now is the preparation for the general election due early next year, which will put Iraq on the path of building a democratic and federal political system.
Iraqis are holding their national conference to elect an 80 member + 20 former IGC to form an Iraqi National Assembly that will oversee the work of Iraq’s interim government during the transitional period.
Iraq‘s 18 provinces have started their caucuses to elect their representatives to the 1000-member strong national conference due to take place mid August 2004.
In order to guarantee the election outcome that commands the greatest possible support and legitimacy from the Iraqi people, the above values must be respected.
Transparent, free, open and fair elections are fundamental democratic principals and fair conduct of democratic processes.
Unfortunately in some provinces some influential political forces and government agencies have placed many obstacles to hinder wider public participation in this essential political process of nominating their chosen representatives. For example, information about the election procedures and the nomination process were not made available to many would-be candidates and to the general public. Many Iraqis, including trade union leaders who wanted to put their names forward for caucuses’ elections could not obtain election registration forms.
The security issue remains a problem. Fascist type forces and certain islamist fundamentalist are continuing their criminal acts and their violence against ordinary Iraqi civilians, workers and the unemployed. The aim of these anti-democratic forces is to stop the democratic process-taking place now in Iraq. They are working hard to derail the election process currently underway.
In June 2004, six unions held their open conferences in Baghdad. Each has elected a legitimate leadership in a democratic and transparent manner – a procedure the IFTU is working hard to make a norm of its trade union culture. These conferences adopted policies to increase trade unions awareness and develop union leaders especially around areas of democratic values in trade unions and in wider society.
The IFTU is working hard to assume its role as defender of the aspiration and interests of working people but also as a significant player in the rebirth of civil society.
Since the formation of the IFTU on the16 May 2003 the federation is developing and consolidating its fraternal relationship with regional and international trade union centres.
The IFTU leaders have visited Sweden, the UK, France, Italy and Spain to strengthen relationships.
The IFTU has received material and political solidarity from trade union centres in Europe, US, Africa and Latin America and Asia. The IFTU is planning to send delegations to Europe for trade union education and training.
Thanks to financial assistance from the Swedish LO union and an Iraqi NGO named Tamoz for Social Development, the IFTU organized a training course in trade union history in Iraq. Unison, Britain’s largest union has invited six young trade unionists for training in trade union representation.
Many trade unions centres also visited Iraq and met with the IFU leadership and rank and file to learn about the trade union situation in Iraq and to seek ways to help the fledgling labour movement.
Visitors include the British TUC, the American International Solidarity Centre and Cgil from Italy.
Here we would like to mention the solidarity gesture made by the British FBU by Brain Joyce to their fire fighters brothers in Iraq. The FBU sent a container filled with essential fire fighter kits. Iraqis received this solidarity gesture warmly.
The IFTU has warm and strong relationship with ICFTU. The ICFTU has conducted a fact-finding mission in Iraq February 2004 despite the lack of security and the danger the faced.
During the visit the ICFTU conducted numbers of meetings with the IFTU and its regional branches. The ICFTU delegation expressed its delight at the enormous appetite for trade union representation.
The printing union in Iraq is considered one of the oldest unions. Historically members of this union fought bitter struggles for the right to form and join a union and for them to form their own printing union, a union that could reflect that could defend their rights.
Currently printing workers are facing sever problems. Many of the former state printing agencies were looted or destroyed. Thousands of workers who worked there are now unemployed and without social provision for themselves or their families.
However the private printing sector is facing also extreme shortages in obtaining primary printing materials, high prices and competition from large foreign printing companies. This impacted also negatively upon the Iraqi workforce and hence increased the level of unemployment. The IFTU is confident that recent increase of work activities within the printing industry will certainly ease the pressure workers are facing now.
The Iraqi oil sector is considered the most important component of the Iraqi economy. It is the key contributor to the Iraqi national burse. The oil sector employs a large number of Iraqi workers.
This sector saw the formation of a strong trade union movement at the early decades of the 1920th century. A labour movement that had led many struggle and strikes over the course f the 20th century is rebuilding itself democratically.
Saddam’s dictatorship sought to abolish trade union formation in this crucial public sector. In 1987 issued his fascist-type decree that panned workers within the public sector form joining unions.
After the fall of Saddam’s April 2003, workers within the oil industry, with help and encouragement of the WDTUM (the clandestine union movement formed in 1980), established the independent Oil and Gas Union across in Baghdad, Basra and Kirkuk, Bejy and across the rest of Iraq. The Oil and gas Union is part of the IFTU and affiliated.
Dockers historically were key figures in the political and trade union struggle, for workers rights and political freedom.
Dockers suffered terribly as through Saddam’s wars. Iraqi ports were destroyed and many thousands of Dockers were killed. They were the first to experience the atrocities of wars, subsequent invasion and occupation and now unemployment. Dockers were also banned from forming or joining independent unions by Saddam’s 1987 anti union law.
But Dockers are now organizing and had formed their union committees, which are part of the IFTU in Basra.
Dockers like their sisters and brothers in the oil sector, the railway and other industries are working along side other Iraqi progressive and patriotic forces for a democratic and federal Iraq.