Workers' Liberty

Iraqi railway workers have begun an indefinite strike to win a pay rise and basic rights.

The strike action, backed by the vast majority of rail workers, has paralysed the country's main North/South rail corridor. It has been taken in order to achieve improvements in salaries and conditions, as well as improved safety, protection from attack and fundamental workers' rights.

Mac Urata, Secretary of the International Transport Workers' Federations's Inland Transport Section, has commented: "It beggars belief that the dictatorial anti-union laws of the Saddam Hussein era are still in place. Legislation denying rail and other public services workers the right to strike and belong to a union must be removed immediately. The ITF fully supports this legitimate action."