To the Iraqi working people:
The Iraqi working people are playing an important role in the development of the new Iraq and are helping in the re-building of Iraq's devastated national economy.
They are taking a full active role in the consolidation of the current political process in order to create a democratic, united and federal state after years of repression and hardship at the hands of the deposed dictatorship of Saddam.
Today our courageous working people are exerting their legitimate rights to assist in the building of a democratic state, to defend the fundamental rights of working people in a free and democratic Iraq.
But today despite our sacrifices and instead of receiving the support they deserve from the new Iraqi state, the Iraqi working people and their legitimate trade unions are subjected to unjust attacks and clear open interference in the internal affairs by the "new" old Iraqi Council of Ministers and some Ministries of the transitional government. Their purpose is to prevent working people from organising free and democratic unions. Saddam Hussein’s anti union Law 150 of 1987 is still being applied.
Our working people across Iraq from Basra, Kirkuk and Babel, Najaf and Messan (Al Amarah) are aware of this repressive manoeuvre against our trade union movement and are determined to exercise their legitimate rights to organise workers in free unions. We declare our resolve that we shall continue to use all democratic means available; strikes, courts procedure and protests to stop this undemocratic practice against workers.
To this end we shall mobilise our working people across Iraq and especially in industries such as Oil, Transport and Docks and in the public sector against this violation of our fundamental rights to organise free from state interference.
The IFTU as a key patriotic component of Iraq society determined to uphold and defend the rights of working people to organise, to representation and to take strike action as stated in the core conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), condemns this unjust and unprovoked attack against the Iraqi working class.
We also call upon our working people to face head on this old "new" attack by the transitional government, which aims to prevent us from organising freely.
We affirm that the IFTU will continue to be loyal defenders of the rights and aspiration of Iraqi working people for a free, open and democratic society.
IFTU Executive,
Baghdad
25 August 2005
21st Session of the Administrative Council of the International Centre for Trade Union Rights.
see full report here:
On Saturday 11 June 2005, ICTUR hosted its annual Administrative Council discussions in Geneva, Switzerland. The high profile annual event brings together trade unions, lawyers, academics and human rights organisations to make recommendations on strategies and action for ICTUR's work on trade union rights in the the year ahead.
The meeting was chaired by Professor Keith Ewing, Vice President of ICTUR.
Labour rights in the oil sector in Colombia
In the first of two key discussions, Jorge Gamboa of the Colombian oil workers' union USO, opened by drawing parallels between the role of oil in the economies of Iraq and Colombia and the situation facing workers and their trade unions. "The struggle must be worldwide" he insisted, adding that, "Colombian unions must defend trade union rights in Iraq".
The USO leader went on to describe how local and indigenous people have been moved away from oil areas in Colombia, and how the military are preventing them from returning. This militarisation of the oil areas, Gamboa explained, also prevents union organisers from getting near to the workers.
Lawyer and ICTUR project coordinator Miguel Puerto described plans for a second mission (see details of the first mission here) by legal experts from the International Commission for Labour Rights that would examine labour rights violations in the Colombian oil sector. The situation was extremely serious, he said, describing the oil region of Arauca as "a laboratory for war". As part of its response, ICTUR was conducting the planning and organisational work for the ICLR mission and would be producing and promoting the report on ICLR's behalf.
Responding to the presentations, Christine Parker of LO-Norway described the work of ICTUR as "essential", adding that the Workers Group of ILO was now operating "as a whole" and recommending to campaigners that they should make every effort to ensure that their publications reach employers and governments. Jim Catterson of the international oil workers' union ICEM wished the ICLR mission every success. Nora Wintour of international public sector workers' union PSI recommended that those working around the situation in Colombia should have regard to ILO Convention 169 on indigenous and tribal populations. She added that campaigners "should do more to highlight violations of that convention".
Trade union rights in Iraq
In a second discussion, the international representatives of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq gave presentations on the evolving and difficult situation for trade unions in their country.
Abdullah Muhsin of the IFTU explained that his union had suffered severe attacks against its leaders and organisers: three founding members of the federation have been shot dead and international secretary Hadi Saleh was tortured and killed. The IFTU representative set out his federation's opposition to privatisation of public services, calling for the economy not to be opened up to the market just as it emerged from the war, but added that the IFTU "is not opposed to the market or to investment". Muhsin described Iraq as a country under occupation, but deplored resistance in the form of suicide bomb attacks that killed large groups of ordinary Iraqi workers.
ICTUR Vice President Fathi El-Fadl outlined ICTUR's project to create an independent legal resource centre in Iraq. The unions would "supply the needs" and ICTUR would "supply the expertise" and would work with all trade unions to provide technical capacity to defend and promote trade union rights. (Read about the Trade Union Rights Centre).
Both the FWCUI and the IFTU welcomed and approved the ICTUR proposal and agreed to work with the project in Iraq. Abdullah Muhsin described the labour code as "key", noting that Iraqi workers had been deprived of their basic rights for decades. Aso Jabbar called for work to secure trade union rights in the public sector, and added that all unions should have freedom to organise. Discussing the security concerns for all organisers in the current situation, the Council welcomed the intervention of Freddy Pulacio of USO, who said "my experience is at your disposal".
ICTUR's activities
The Council approved the report of Daniel Blackburn, Director of ICTUR (copies on request), and the proposals for future activities, including the publication of a series of world maps on core labour standards in English, French and Spanish editions. Donor unions, the international PSI and the French CGT, were thanked for their contributions to that project. Dan Gallin, representing the International Federation of Workers Education Associations, expressed his support for the maps, and hoped that IFWEA and ICTUR would have opportunities to work on more joint projects in future.
Alison Tate of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (deputising for ICTUR President Sharan Burrow), noted that ICTUR's British Committee had produced a booklet about trade union experiences organising migrant workers. The same issues, she said, were a major challenge worldwide, and added that organisations should be sharing these experiences.
The Council expressed strong support for the journal International Union Rights. It was noted that IUR remains ICTUR's key source of income and that more substantial contributions are required from trade unions if ICTUR is to meet its full potential. The Council expressed regret at the financial limitations of ICTUR, and agreed that the level of work produced was remarkable in the circumstances.
In closing, Jamshid Ettehadieh, ICTUR correspondent on Iran, called for the Council to adopt a statement welcoming the establishment of the Tehran Public Bus Transportation Company syndicate in Iran as the first large and over ground trade union launched since the 1980s. The Council adopted the statement unanimously.
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Brussels, 8 July 2005 (ICFTU OnLine): The ICFTU and the European TUC today condemned the terrorist atrocities in London, which have cost the lives of at least 37 people and injured several hundred more. ICFTU and ETUC General Secretaries Guy Ryder and John Monks expressed their deepest sympathies to those affected in messages to their British affiliate the TUC, as have trade union organisations from around the world. “Those responsible for these terrible attacks, aimed at ordinary people, must be brought to justice”, said Monks and Ryder.
Italian and Spanish trade unions are organising symbolic work stoppages at 12.00 today to express their sympathy. The ICFTU and the ETUC will also hold a ceremony outside the International Trade Union House in Brussels at 12.00 today to show their solidarity with all those affected.
The ICFTU represents 145 million workers in 234 affiliated organisations in 154 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org
For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0232 or +32 476 621 018.
Brussels, 1 July 2005 (ICFTU OnLine): Trade unions from around the world have been in the forefront of today’s “White Band Day” global mobilization against poverty, the largest movement of its kind in history. Rallies, demonstrations and meetings around the world, involving hundreds of thousands of people, have been organized under the Global Call to Action Against Poverty (GCAP), a coalition of trade unions, community and religious groups, women’s organizations and other development and anti-poverty movements. The GCAP, symbolized by the wearing of white armbands and headbands, is calling for decisive global action for debt relief to the poorest countries, greatly increased development aid, and justice in the world trade system.
World trade union leaders met with UK Prime Minister and G8 host Tony Blair this Tuesday in London to press home the case for decisive action by the richest countries.
“The ICFTU and its Global Unions partners, are campaigning to put poverty at the top of the international agenda, with key meetings of the G8 countries this month, the United Nations General Assembly in September, and the World Trade Organisation’s Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December. Creating decent jobs for all is central to ending world poverty, and trade unions have a central role to play in this”, said ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder.
A rally of more than 50,000 people organised by trade unions and pressure groups in Madrid, Spain on Monday launched a week of activities culminating in actions in more than 70 countries today, including demonstrations and symbolic wrapping of major buildings and famous landmarks in cities around the globe. Staff from the ICFTU, Education International and other trade union bodies in the International Trade Union House in Brussels converged in front of the building this afternoon to add their voice to those of trade unionists in Nepal, Mozambique, India, the UK, Canada, France, Italy, Japan and a wide range of other countries which have been taking part in GCAP events.
Further “White Band Days” will take place on 10 September, when the UN General Assembly reviews progress towards achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals, and on 10 December as the World Trade Organisation gathers in Hong Kong for its Ministerial Meeting.
“Much has been said by world leaders about the evils of poverty, and many pledges have been made to help people build decent lives for themselves and their families. But the fact is that hundreds of millions of women, men and children are still living in destitution, with little hope of a better life. The trade union movement around the world will continue to work with others to make sure that real action is taken to end global poverty”, said Ryder.
The ICFTU represents 145 million workers in 233 affiliated organizations in 154 countries and territories.
The ICFTU is also a partner in Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2 224 0212.
INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS
ICFTU OnLine:
089/010705
Hundreds of Thousands of Australian Workers Rally Against Anti-Union Laws
Brussels, 1 July 2005 (ICFTU OnLine): More than 250,000 people have taken part in public protests over the past two days against the conservative Australian Federal Government's plans to remove protection from unfair dismissal for most workers, impose heavy restrictions on union organising and collective bargaining rights, push workers onto individual employment contracts and weaken mechanisms for setting minimum wages.
Around 100,000 people took part in rallies throughout the state of New South Wales today, following yesterday's 100,000-person demonstration in Melbourne and protests in cities and towns around the country involving tens of thousands more.
"This is about whether or not working people will be treated like commodities and that is the international principle - no worker should be treated like a commodity." said Sharan Burrow in Perth where some 20,000 took part in a rally. Burrow is President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and of the ICFTU.
The ICFTU Executive Board at its meeting last week pledged to generate international support for the Australian trade union campaign, recognising that if the laws proposed by Prime Minister John Howard are implemented, then Australia would find itself at the bottom of the OECD ladder in terms of rights and protections for working people. A case will also be brought to the UN's International Labour Organisation, which has already criticized existing anti-union measures introduced by the Howard government.
The ACTU is also running an extensive advertising campaign to bring home the full impacts of the government's plans, and community and church groups from around the country have expressed serious concern over the prospect of lower wages and even less protection, especially for the most vulnerable and lowest-paid workers.
"Respect for fundamental workers' rights, and the social and economic benefits which stem from this, are the cornerstones on which every country should build its economy. Joining a race to the bottom can only harm Australia's position in the global economy, and will seriously damage its international reputation", said ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder.
The ICFTU represents 145 million workers in 233 affiliated organizations in 154 countries and territories.
INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS - ICFTU OnLine: 081/170605
ILO commitment on youth employment and rights
Brussels, Friday 17 June (ICFTU online): The ICFTU warmly welcomed the adoption on Tuesday in Geneva of the conclusions and report on the discussion on youth employment held by the International Labour Conference (ILC).
Of the world's more than 1 billion young people, 85 per cent live in developing countries with a high incidence of poverty and inadequate employment opportunities. Young women generally, and in particular those with children, are more prone to unemployment, discrimination, sexual harassment, underemployment and poor working conditions.
Following the discussion on youth employment that was on the ILC agenda in recent days, the governments and social partners committed themselves to meeting the challenge of youth employment by fully involving young women and men in this struggle. The ICFTU strongly supports this call for urgent action to enhance the involvement of young workers, workers' organisations and their specific organisations in the development, implementation, and monitoring of youth labour market policies and programmes.
As the ILO report states, achieving decent work for young people is a critical element in poverty eradication and sustainable development, growth and welfare for all. The ICFTU regards the forthcoming review of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in September 2005 as providing an excellent opportunity to assess the extent to which national, regional, and international policies and strategies address the promotion of decent work for all with a focus on young people.
"It is extremely important that the Report recognizes specific problems of youth in the informal economy, where young workers are facing super-flexible arrangements, inadequate income, little or no social protection, no possibility of personal and professional development, no representation and poverty. Millions of young workers are trapped into the informal economy", added Evelyn Toth, of the Croatian union centre UATUC.
Toni Moore, of BWU-Barbados, welcomed the fact that "these conclusions clearly emphasise the quality of jobs and the rights of workers", in line with the approach demanded by the international union movement. And Alex Dias, 34, the youth coordinator of UGT-Portugal, added: "The challenge we face is to create conditions to enable young people to lead decent lives through decent work". This was the first time that young trade unionists were able to address the plenary of the International Labour Conference directly and this enabled them to present their own conclusions on the debate on youth employment.
Together with the fact that better account was taken of young people's rights in the debate on creating youth employment, the ICFTU welcomes the agreement reached to launch a campaign aimed at young people, under the auspices of the ILO, with a view to promoting decent jobs for young people and, in particular, creating jobs whilst promoting labour rights and employability. The trade union movement also fully supports the ILO action plan to promote pathways to decent work for youth. This plan is specifically aimed at developing countries and will focus on three priorities: building knowledge, advocacy/promotion, and technical
assistance.
INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF FREE TRADE UNIONS
ICFTU OnLine:
078/150605
Trade unions welcome G8 action and call for extended debt relief
Brussels: 15 June 2005 (ICFTU Online): The ICFTU, together with TUAC(*), today welcomed the announcement of debt cancellation by G8 finance ministers.
Following a 2 day meeting in London (10-11 June), Ministers announced a package which will mean that 18 countries will have 100% of debts cancelled which they currently owe to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank and African Development Bank. The ICFTU has called for debt cancellation for low-income indebted countries for over a decade and earlier this year joined the world's largest ever anti-poverty coalition, the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP), which is campaigning for debt cancellation, more and better aid, and trade justice.
In hailing the development as a "significant step", the ICFTU also recalled that the 18 countries that would benefit from the plan - provided it is approved at next September's annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank -- constitute less than one-third of the low-income countries with an unsustainable debt burden.
For example, Haiti, which is the poorest country in the Americas, is not among the 18. In January 2005, the almost-bankrupt government of Haiti was obliged to reimburse $52.6 million to the World Bank in order to become eligible for renewed World Bank lending.
Therefore, last weekend's debt cancellation plan must be a first step towards further debt relief for an increased of heavily indebted countries.
The G8 plan requires that countries must abide by the terms of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) programme, which includes a requirement to observe the structural adjustment programmes designed by the IMF and World Bank. Such programmes include conditions such as privatisation of public services and rigid ceilings on government expenditures, regardless of the social costs. These conditions, imposed on poor countries on the doubtful premise that they enhance growth, frequently reduce services to the poor and will impede achievement of the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The ICFTU and TUAC therefore call on industrialised countries to extend full debt cancellation to all low-income countries respecting human rights that have a shortfall of resources to meet the MDGs. The debt write-off should not be dependent on structural adjustment conditionality and should not reduce the aid they receive from multilateral donors or other sources. Furthermore, debt relief must be accompanied by the adoption of new mechanisms to increase financial
flows to developing countries, for example through international taxation such as a Tobin tax.
All these proposals were highlighted in the trade union statement to the G8 Summit, which an international trade union delegation will be discussing at an upcoming meeting on 28 June in London with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, host of the 2005 G8 Summit.
(*) TUAC is the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD
The ICFTU represents 145 million workers in 233 affiliated organizations
in 154 countries and territories. ICFTU is also a partner in Global
Unions: http://www.global-unions.org
For more information, please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2
224 0206 or +32 476 621 018.