The International Centre for Trade Union Rights ('ICTUR'): trade union rights violations in Iraq
Attn: George W. Bush, President of the United States of America
Cc: Iraqi government, General Federation of Iraqi Workers, Trade Union Rights Centre (Iraq).
5 March 2007
Dear President,
The International Centre for Trade Union Rights is seriously concerned by a series of raids carried out against trade union premises by US forces in Iraq.
ICTUR understands that US forces carried out three armed raids on the offices of two Iraqi trade unions:
On the 19 February: US soldiers raided the journalists’ union. According to the International Federation of Journalists - and confirmed by our own correspondents in Iraq – the soldiers destroyed furniture, ransacked the offices, arrested state-employed security guards, and ‘confiscated’ 10 computers and 15 small electricity generators.
On the 23 February: a similar raid was carried out against the General Federation of Iraqi Workers, during which three security guards were arrested, the offices were ‘misused’ (to quote our correspondent, who visited the scene), and GFIW computers were taken. Again, US soldiers carried out the raid.
On the 25 February: the GFIW offices were attacked again by US soldiers.
ICTUR writes to protest against the repression of trade union rights in the strongest terms, and calls for the issuing of a formal apology, the release of all persons detained for reasons related to their involvement in trade union activities, the return of computers and all other assets confiscated during the raids, and appropriate compensation to be given to the trade unions.
ICTUR reminds the authorities that trade union rights are protected under the fundamental instruments of international human rights law, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ILO Declaration of Fundamental Principles, which requires both the US and Iraqi authorities to respect trade union rights.
The details of this incident will be reported in the journal, International Union Rights, which has readers in more than 100 countries.
Sincerely,
Daniel Blackburn, Director,
International Centre for Trade Union Rights ('ICTUR'),
177 Abbeville Road, London, SW4 9RL, UK,
tel: +44 (0)20 7498 4700, fax: +44 (0)20 7498 0611,
website: www.ictur.org, email: ictur@ictur.org
The International Centre for Trade Union Rights ('ICTUR') is an international non-governmental organisation. Its executive committee is comprised of senior labour lawyers and international trade union representative.
President: Sharan Burrow, President, Australian Council of Trade Unions
Vice-Presidents: Mordy Bromberg SC, Australian lawyer; Professor Keith Ewing, British lawyer; Dr Fathi El-Fadl, Sudan TU Alliance; John Hendy QC, British lawyer; Jeffrey Sack QC, Canadian lawyer; Jitendra Sharma , Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; Hassan Sunmonu, General Secretary, Organisation for African Trade Union Unity