An appeal by the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI)

Submitted by Daniel_Randall on 28 January, 2005 - 6:09

Since November we have witnessed a marked increase in activities and the formation of a number of branches of FWCUI in many workplaces and factories.

Such developments have attracted the attention of the authorities in the cities of Baghdad, Basra and Saharaban. Labour activists have been threatened by the authorities and prevented from joining FWCUI.

Now a new wave of heroic strikes have swept industries like textiles in the city of Kut, in which the workers were suppressed and shot at by the authorities, also the strikes of the Electricity Power Station in Nassiriya, the chemical, and plastic industry, and soft drink factory workers in Baghdad, and in Basra Electricity Power Station.

The main demands of these workers are the right to strike and the right to organisation, increase in wages linked to inflation, ban on overtime, improved health and safety standards, payment of annual bonuses and in many occasions replacement of corrupt managers and administration.

The workers in Iraq, more than ever, during these crucial times need your support:

• You can send solidarity messages to striking workers (see www.uuiraq.org).

• You can send condemnation (or protest) letters to the Iraqi authorities and US forces who are violating international conventions including brutal suppressions of workers.

• You can send your financial support to FWCUI.

FWCUI is a federation of a network of independent unions established by workers to defend and achieve their fair demands for a better living condition, for a progressive labour law, for democratic rights of workers in Iraq.

FWCUI held a successful broad workers’ conference in Basra in November 2004, with the participation of more than 350 delegates and groups from many industries and companies.

FWCUI is now engaged in leading waves of protest of workers in the electricity, textile
and oil sectors in Nassiriya, Basra, Kerkuk, Baghdad and Kut.

FWCUI is not recognised by the Iraqi authorities but is recognised by thousands of workers as an active organisation to lead their protests and their struggles.

FWCUI demands the immediate and unconditional end of occupation in Iraq.
Donate money to FWCUI for the following:

• Open a central office in Baghdad with US$1000 rent per month.

• Regular publication of FWCUI newspaper.

• To buy a photocopy machine for FWCUI media centre in Baghdad which costs $US5000.

• To buy cars for FWCUI to facilitate the transportation in the insecure and difficult situation in Iraq.

• To buy mobile telephones for FWCUI to facilitate communication and contact inside and outside Iraq.

• Media facilities like cassette recorders, microphones and cameras including digital cameras and video cameras for media centre of FWCUI .

• Workers of various sectors in Baghdad need to hold a two-day conference to elect a united leadership. We need $5,000 for renting a hall, accommodation, publicity, transportation of workers and security.

You can send your donations in different ways:

Cheques to Aso Jabbar, representative abroad of FWCUI: Aso Jabbar, FWCUI, Post Box 8553, 3001 Bern, Switzerland

Donations through a partner account address in Switzerland: Solidarity with Iraqi Women Rights — SIWR , Post Finance Bank Account Nr. 30-340462-4. Post Box 326, 3000 Bern 11, Switzerland

Send your donation through representative networks of UUI and FWCUI in different countries. See our website.

For more information please contact us: asojabbar@yahoo.com and houzan73@yahoo.co.uk

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