The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions has claimed a tactical victory in the Basra oil pipeline workers' dispute.
Union leader Hassan Jumaa announced: "Sn enlarged meeting was held with his excellency the minister of State for the Parliament Affairs lasting five hours resulting in the cessation of all the failings resulting from the conduct of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil and the irresponsible stance of the oil minister. Most of the issues within the remit of the prime minister were dealt with...."
The workers originally struck on Monday 4th. The government sent troops to surround the workplace. Work resumed, but the government agreed to negotiate. It is not clear whether the troops have been withdrawn. The government had ordered the arrest of four leaders of the Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions for "sabotaging the Iraqi economy"; they have not been arrested, but as far as we know the arrest warrants remain in force.
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According to the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine & General Workers’ Unions: "Earlier strike calls in May [focused around demands including consultation with the union on the proposed new oil law] were postponed after the union gained a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki" - where, according to the union, Maliki accepted all its demands, on paper. Maliki did not deliver.
"The union is currently focussing on two core demands in its strike at the pipeline company:
"They demand that the Oil Ministry take action to force the general manager of the pipeline company to resign;
"They demand that the company be financially and administratively independent from the Baghdad-based central ministry, and that the pipeline company be managed locally.
"ICEM is informed that the reason for the first demand, and the catalyst for... action, is that the general manger of the pipeline company, Adel Aziz, who is based in Baghdad rather than in Basra, blocked the orders of Prime Minister Nouri Al-Mailiki to release delayed benefits due to workers [and] stopped an allowance which the workers are regularly entitled to".
All the different Iraqi union movements are united in supporting democracy, opposing Sunni-Shia-Kurdish division, and insisting that Iraq's oil remain public property. With sufficient resources - which they do not yet have - they could begin to unite a majority of the population around such demands, and lay the basis for a political way out.
Support and success for the current strike is vital even on its limited demands, because it can lay the basis for Iraqi workers starting to develop the confidence for a new political direction.