International Labor Leaders Predict More Iraq Labor Strikes

[Tace]

(This is DU's own Katinmn)

Kathlyn Stone -- World News Trust

A 48-hour strike led by oil and gas workers in Basra, Iraq, last week signals a growing impatience with the U.S. occupation of Iraq, said a spokesperson for the Iraq Freedom Congress. The strike shut down the country's main refined oil pipeline.

The workers presented four demands to the Ministry of Oil: higher pay, wages must be paid when due, workers must be paid for overtime work and ambulances must be provided to transport injured workers. About 350 oil workers and 200 gas workers walked off the job the morning of Aug. 22.

"Their basic demands for higher pay were met," said the IFC's Housan Mahmoud. "If the government doesn't deliver on the rest of the demands, the strikes will resume."

Mahmoud is a women's and labor rights activist and chair of Iraq Freedom Congress Abroad, based in London.

more

http://www.worldnewstrust.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=36&Itemid=

[lonestarnot]

1. How much profit did they make and they can't even take care of the

injured workers with ambulance care when injured on the job? Rat bastards!

[katinmn]

2. Those are the top 4

Workers also want their food rations restored to an earlier level.

[lonestarnot]

3. That would help. I mean in order to work one needs to fucking eat.

[autorank]

4. Labor unions need to be strong in a developing country... K&R Unions YES

Particularly with the "globalism" creature looking over everyone's shoulder.

When Douglas Macarthur set up the post war Japanese government, he specifically
incorporated strong elements of liberal democracy including unions as a balance
against the fascism that lead that country to its fantasy of empire. Look how
well it worked.

Unfortunately, the "privatization" and buy off of all things Iraqi by outsiders
might not work out if there are unions.

I'm sure no thought has been given to this issue, none, other than to crush the
unions before they emerge as a force.

[lonestarnot]

5. It is through unions that workers have a genuine voice. Power in those

numbers!