The Iraqi labour movement mourns with sadness the death of trade union leader, brother Torki al-Lihabi, President of the Transport and Communication Workers’ Union (TCWU) who has been killed in a road traffic accident in Baghdad on the evening of 20 March 2006.
Our late working class hero was instrumental in the formation of the Iraqi Federation Trade Unions (IFTU) and the creation of his own union, the TCWU after the fall of Saddam's dictatorship. He played a significant role in the re-birth of Iraq’s independent trade unions by working closely with the global labour movement. His union was the first to affiliate to the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
The Iraqi Workers' Federation (IWF), while mourning our departed comrade and acknowledging the grave loss to his family and our movement, pledges that we shall continue with determination to build independent, democratic and free Iraqi trade unions.
Long live the working class.
IWF Executive Committee
Posted at March 22, 2006 02:59 PM