Support the fundamental rights and needs of the Iraqi labor movement.

 

Support the fundamental rights and needs of the Iraqi labor movement.
On the occasion of International Workers’ Day 1-05-2011- IRAQ,

 

We Iraqi trade unionists and civil society activists, individuals and organizations, together with our friends in the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative, and international trade unions and federations, congratulate the Iraqi workers from all sectors of the economy along with all the Iraqi people on the occasion of International Workers’ Day.

As we celebrate this historic and important day, we are issuing the following set of demands concerning the fundamental rights and needs of the Iraqi labor movement and trade unions. We call on everyone to disseminate these demands widely and to deliver them to the Iraqi authorities and international stakeholders so that Iraqi trade unions are free to organize and workers throughout Iraqi are respected, paid a just and fair wage, work in safe and healthy conditions, and enjoy all their democratic freedoms and rights.

1. We demand a new labor law based on recognized international standards concerning the working day, wage system, and workers’ freedom of association. This is central to, and consistent with, the democratic change that the labor movement is seeking in Iraq.

2. All restrictions on freedom of assembly and trade union action in Iraq should be immediately lifted. All laws and arbitrary procedures imposed by the former regime for the purpose of suppressing the labor movement, especially in the public sector, should be immediately abolished. A new law must guarantee the right of all workers to organize unions.

3. The Iraqi people must have opportunities to work. Where there is not appropriate work, workers should receive unemployment compensation. Workers deserve long-term social security and regulations that protect their health and safety

4. We demand the involvement of Iraqi trade unions and their elected representatives in all discussions of the laws mentioned here or of any other laws or decisions concerning labor and trade unions. No law or procedure concerning labor or unions can be legitimate without the participation of representatives of the workers in its creation. Workers and unions must have open social dialogue with the Iraqi government.

5. Now, when the labor movement of Iraq and its partners are seeking to strengthen Iraq’s democratic structures, we welcome attendance by the Iraqi judiciary and its representatives at union elections to ratify the election results. At the same time we reject all efforts by government agencies to interfere in the decisions or actions of the trade unions.

6. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, welcome all steps taken by the Iraqi government to fight corruption and sectarianism, and call for these efforts to be thorough and specific, applied to all levels of government and society, from the very top down to the base.

7. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, proclaim the right of all Iraqis to gather, protest, and demonstrate using nonviolent methods. We demand the protection of this right and denounce any effort to deny it.

8. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, emphasize the importance of free and independent media in a democratic society. We demand that no arbitrary restrictions be placed on the media and that journalists are protected from attacks and censorship.

9. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, stress the importance of the law promoting the establishment of non-governmental organizations and urge the government to end delays and procrastination in the registration of non-governmental organizations.

10. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, proclaim their solidarity with the victims of violations of human rights everywhere. We urge full respect for the human rights of all, compensation for those who have suffered, and efforts to hold those who have violated others’ rights accountable without delay.

11. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, celebrate the principle of respect for women s rights and equality with men. We urge swift action to ensure women’s equal representation and participation in the Iraqi government.

12. The Iraqi labor movement and trade unions and their partners, stress the need to reduce the gap between the salaries of workers and employees and the salaries of officials. We call for immediate and drastic reductions of the ministerial and government apparatus and an end to wasteful spending of public money on unnecessary positions awarded as sectarian or partisan favors or bribes.
 

To sign the Arabic related campaign , please click
حملة- بيان القوى النقابية ومنظمات المجتمع المدني العراقي بمناسبة الأول من أيار عام 2011

 

الدولة country	الاسم باللغة الانكليزية                                Name in English
العراق   Iraq	Al Ahd TV.
العراق   Iraq	AL Amal al Insanyha association
العراق   Iraq	Al Firdos association
العراق   Iraq	Al Haq group
العراق   Iraq	AL Tatweer association
العراق   Iraq	Ayadi Alrahma
France  فرنسا	CEDETIM Centre d études et d initiatives de solidarité internationale (International Solidarity Study Center) - France
العراق   Iraq	Dar Al arqam ebin Al Arqam
العراق   Iraq	Dar al turath - Basra
العراق   Iraq	EHTEMAME  Establishment For woman s education and reform
العراق   Iraq	Electricity Workers and Technicians Union
العراق   Iraq	Electricity Workers and Technicians Union in Basra
العراق   Iraq	Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq FWCUI
العراق   Iraq	General federation of workers’councils and unions in iraq
العراق   Iraq	General Workers Syndicate Union of Salahadin
العراق   Iraq	Hadeeya association for human rights
دولي  International	HCA Helsinki Citizens Assemby
France  فرنسا	IPAM Initiatives pour ub autre monde  (Initiatives for another world)
العراق   Iraq	Iraqi federation of oil unions IFOU
العراق   Iraq	iraqi media centre for transitional justice
العراق   Iraq	Iraqi network for transitional justices
العراق   Iraq	Kirkuk General Workers Syndicate Union (KGWSU)- Kirkuk
العراق   Iraq	Kurdish General Workers Syndicate Union (KGWSU)
USA	September 11th Families for Peaceful Tomorrows
USA	U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)
العراق   Iraq	Union of Acricultural Workers and Food
العراق   Iraq	Union of unemployed persons - Kurdistan

The Undersigned  
ismaeel.dawood@unponteper.it  
2011 / 4 / 23

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