GFIW Statement

The extreme and harsh conditions Iraq and its people are going through is a consequences of failure of the state of Iraq to readdress legitimate grievances such as the erosion of civil liberties including trade union rights to collective bargaining and action and representation.

The government failure to issue an internationally compliant labour law and to address the lack of delivery of basic services and to tackle head on the wide spread financial and administrative corruption has worsened the situation in Iraq and widened the gap between those who have (minority) and those who have not (majority) to an alarming level.

Brave workers

The GFIW reaffirms its commitment to stand by the side of the people of Iraq regardless of their ethnics, religious and political and class affiliation. The GFIW condemns the sectarian policy imposed (for narrow political gains) by dominant political blocks against the notion of citizenship. The GFIW calls on the government of Iraq and parliament to take the following necessary measures, among many others, in order to secure dignified working and living conditions for the people of Iraq:

The state must guarantee trade union rights to form unions, collective bargaining and action as enshrined in international conventions (ILO). The GFIW urges the government to stop meddling in the internal affairs of the unions and allow the unions to hold open and transparent workers elections.

The government must immediately adopt labour law and pension and social security laws

The government must immediately abolish Saddam’s legislation No 150 of 1987 and must agree to recognize the rights of public sector workers the rights to join unions of their choice.

The government must abolish immediately its ministerial Order 8750 issued August 2005

The GFIW calls on the government as well to recognize the rights of Iraqi to peaceful assembly, protests and demonstration as guaranteed by the constitution of Iraq

The government should consult to adopt and implement a coherent national economic strategy to combat unemployment and to meet the challenges the national economy is facing at the moment due to years of wars, international sanctions and occupation and terrorism.

The government must work to protect the national economy form unfair global competiveness by offering various forms of support to national capital, to prevent indiscriminate import of good and impose custom duties.

To keep and improve the contents of the ration card that so many Iraqis depend on it.
Long live working class

Glory and eternity to the martyrs of trade union movement.

GFIW
Baghdad