Edinburgh trades unionists held a successful and enthusiastic meeting a the Quaker Meeting House on Thursday 23rd September organised by the Lothian Iraqi Workers' Solidarity Group, which has been set up on the initiative of Edinburgh TUC. The meeting was called to discuss ways in which trade unions in Edinburgh and Scotland can help new unions in Iraq. Edinburgh TUC has an impressive record of organising practical international solidarity with the South African labour movement when it was struggling against the apartheid state in the 1980s and 90s.
The meeting was chaired by Des Loughney, Secretary of Edinburgh TUC. Bill Speirs, General Secretary of the Scottish Trades Union Congress and Alex Gordon, of railworkers’ union RMT, spoke about the responsibiity of unions in Scotland and the UK to build internationalism, not only by opposing illegal wars, but also by assisting Iraqi workers to rebuild their own labour organisations.
Abdullah Muhsin, UK representative of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions, also spoke at the public meeting about the situation facing ordinary people in Iraq following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and asked for financial and practical support for the trade unions which are emerging in Iraq.
The IFTU is raising money to equip a bus to tour communities in Iraq and promote workers’ rights.
The Edinburgh TUC handed over cheques to the value of £250 at the meeting, including donations from the Transport and General Workers’ Union Edinburgh voluntary organisations branch, and the Edinburgh branch of the National Union of Journalists.
Under Saddam, trade unions were suppressed and workers who spoke out were often subjected to violence or imprisonment.
The IFTU founded in April 2003, includes twelve emerging national unions. It is campaigning for the right to organise freely in unions, to win trade union representation and take strike action, the right to influence the way Iraq is rebuilt, equal rights for women workers and the recognition of the needs of disabled people and war victims.
The Lothian Iraqi Workers' Solidarity Group will hold its next organising meeting on Tuesday 5th October at 7.30pm in the Trade union resource centre in Albany street. All Welcome! Contact: edim-tuc@btconnect.com