Iraqi Oil Workers Strike against Privatization

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Iraqi Oil Union Postpones Strike Until Monday

 

Breaking
News: The Union has postponed the strike until Monday May 14th in order
to engage in further negotiations with the authorities and employers.
The Union is taking the neogitiation offers in good faith.
More news to follow.

Iraqi oil workers appeal for solidarity as strike against privatisation looms

Iraq’s largest oilworkers’ trade union plans to go on strike on 10th May, in protest at the controversial oil law currently being considered by the Iraqi parliament. The move threatens to stop all exports from the oil-rich country.

Hassan Jum’a Awwad, President of the Federation of Oil Unions has appealed for solidarity from the international labour movement: “The federation calls on all unions in the world to support our demands and to put pressure on governments and the oil companies not to enter the Iraqi oil fields.”

Federation President Hassan Jum’a said: ‘The oil law does not represent
the aspirations of the Iraqi people. It will let the foreign oil
companies into the oil sector and enact privatisation under so called
production sharing agreements. The federation calls for not passing the
oil law, because it does not serve the interests of the Iraqi people.”

The Union is not alone in its’ condemnation of the current oil law.
Opponents of the law also include all of Iraq’s other trade unions, a
number of political parties, and a group of over 60 senior Iraqi oil
experts.