A Labour Friends of Iraq delegation visited Baghdad from 8-10 May where we had discussions with the Iraqi Prime Minister and others.
We placed a strong emphasis on efforts to encourage overturning the restrictions on the new and independent trade union movement. We met Adnan Al Saffar of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers and Jasim Al Lami of the Iraqi Teachers’ Union before meeting Prime Minister Maliki.
We stressed in that meeting and in a meeting with the Islamic Dawa Party that LFIQ and the wider international labour movement are supportive of the Iraqi unions, which are hampered by the maintenance of Saddam Hussein’s ban on public sector unions and further restrictions introduced in 2005 by the previous Iraqi Prime Minister.
Mr Maliki said that flourishing unions were part of his vision for the new Iraq and said that he expected progress in the near future.
The delegation consisted of LFIQ Joint President, Dave Anderson MP, LFIQ Director Gary Kent, Eric Joyce MP and Rachel Cowburn, International Manager of the Labour Party.