Recent Trade Union statements

Passed by Finsbury Park RMT on 02/09/04

This branch notes:
1. that the Blair administration took this country into war in Iraq on the basis of clear misinformation.
2. that an independent trade union movement is now developing in Iraq, but faces harassment both from the US/UK occupation authorities and from right-wing Iraqi forces.

Calls for: Self-determination and democracy for the peoples of Iraq, and withdrawal of US and UK troops.

Further believes: That the labour movement in Britain should support that new independent trade union movement, and not the Islamist or other right-wing militias in Iraq.

Urges: The Council of Executives to give active support to the TUC campaign in solidarity with the Iraqi trade unions called for by the NATFHE resolution to the TUC congress.

Resolves:

• To write to the British representatives of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions and of the Union of the Unemployed of Iraq, saying that we wish to assist them so far as is within our means, and inviting them to send speakers to future meetings of our branch.
• To submit the resolution above to the Regional Council.
• To seek contact and coordination with other RMT branches active in solidarity with the Iraqi trade unions.

Passed by Cambridge Trades Council 15/09/04

1)Cambridge and District TUC:

a) welcomes the passing by the TUC of a motion from NATFHE calling for the British trade union movement to maintain and strengthen contact with Iraqi trade unionists;
b) notes the existence of different trade union movements in Iraq, and believes that all movements should be supported in their struggle for existence, whilst differences of opinion should be discussed fraternally.

2) Cambridge and District TUC therefore resolves to:

a) Encourage financial support from local union branches for the Iraqi trade unions (through direct donations, or through US-based Iraqi Solidarity Workers Fund until an equivalent fund is set up in the UK.)
b) Encourage financial support for the ‘Khalil Shawqi Appeal’.
c) Pursue twinning with the Basra Trade Union Centre.
d) Encourage local union branches to invite speakers on behalf of the Iraqi trade unions.
e) Produce a leaflet for local use, calling for support for Iraqi trade unions and giving examples of support which can be provided.
f) Support other practical initiatives in support of Iraqi trade unions, resources permitting.

3) In order to implement this motion, Cambridge and District TUC agrees to set up a working group, operating under the name of the Trades Council and in line with Trades Council policies, but open to involvement by trade unionists in the Cambridge and District area.

Theatre of solidarity

Here, to be downloaded, are five scripts for short street-theatre plays which you could perform in your city centre to draw attention to often-sidelined issues about Iraq and the US/UK occupation. Four of them were performed at the Iraq Fat Cats Tour in London 4 September 2004, and the other one has been adapted by Norwich Iraq Workers' Solidarity Group activists from a script by Mark Thomas.

Workers' struggles
The burden of the debts Saddam ran up
Debt and HSBC in particular
Oil
Mercenary security companies

Still "an atttractive place to do business"

According to a report in the Financial Times of 23 September, big British companies still find Iraq an "attractive place to do business" as long as they pay out enough to private security-guard companies for protection.

The article states:

UK business heads have insisted their companies will remain in Iraq despite the latest kidnappings of British and American workers.

Graham Hand, chief executive of the British Consultants and Construction Bureau, a trade body for exporters, said Iraq remained an "attractive place to do business" because there is work to be done and people willing to pay for it.

"There is no cutting and running," he insisted, adding that the only UK-based companies returning from Iraq were those that had completed their contracts.

About 60 British companies are currently operating in Iraq on business worth about $2.6bn (€2.1bn, £1.4bn), according to UK Trade and Investment, the government agency.

The Foreign Office has advised UK citizens to avoid all but essential travel to Iraq. However, about 1,850 UK citizens are registered as working there. Most are working for British contractors involved in reconstruction and private security work.

There are also long-term expatriate residents employed by local businesses, such as Kenneth Bigley, 62, the engineer from Liverpool kidnapped with two US colleagues.

Simon Treadgold, operations deployment manager at Olive Security, which provides protection to UK companies in Iraq, said local businesses had always been more vulnerable because they tended not to employ the same level of security.

He said: "In the 100 kidnappings that have taken place recently, none of the people that have been taken hostage have had private security companies looking after them."

One of the largest UK companies in Iraq is Amec, the engineering and construction group that won $780m of business under USAID contracts.

Amec said the company had "a few hundred" staff in the south of the country who were given regular guidance on security in the region, including no-go areas.

However, extra security had not been put in place because of the kidnappings of Mr Bigley and his colleagues Eugene Armstrong and Jack Hensley.

At the other end of the scale is Solace Enterprises, which sent five staff to support the USAID-funded programme to reconstruct government bodies.

Solace's team was evacuated to Kuwait and Jordan for a few weeks at Easter but soon returned to Iraq. The last company employee to return to the UK did so last week, but only for dental treatment and he will fly back afterwards.

John Stopford, head of Solace's international portfolio, said his employees had enjoyed good protection because they were based in the secure green zone of Baghdad.

"If we weren't able to provide secure environments we would bring our people home." He added: "It is not a safe situation. We monitor it on a day-to-day basis."

Corporate security has gradually been ratcheted up over the past year, according to security companies in the region.

David Claridge, managing director of Janusian Security Risk Management, which has about 400 security guards in Iraq, said the situation has gone from "dangerous but manageable" to "highly dangerous".

Lothian solidarity meeting

The Lothian Iraqi Workers Solidarity group organised a successful public meeting on building practical solidarity for Iraqi trade unions in Edinburgh o 23 September.

The speakers emphasised the need for resources from trade unions here to facilitate organising in Iraq and were firm on the militias being murderous to Iraqi workers .

Abdullah Muhsin cited one story of six women cleaners standing waiting on a bus to go to work being gunned down from a car as "collaborators" .

Alex Gordon made the point to the Stop the War coaliton - have we really to go to our members here and ask them to support these militias when they do this?

The meeting discussed a flag day to raise money and awareness and will be having its next organising meeting on Tuesday 5th October at 7.30pm in the Trade Union Resource Centre in Albany street. All Welcome!

Peter Burton

TUC launches Iraq appeal

Following its congress decision on 13-16 September 2004, the TUC has launched an Aid Appeal for Iraq to support Iraqi trade unions. You can donate online.

A critical month on Saddam's debts

From Jubilee Iraq

The next month is going to be the most critical period so far in the negations on Saddam’s debts. There are G7, World Bank & IMF, Paris Club and Donor Conference meetings coming up (see calendar below), all happening under the shadow of forthcoming US elections and the G8’s stated deadline of a Paris Club deal on debt by the end of 2004 (before Iraqi elections). Jubilee Iraq representatives will be in Washington from next Thursday for five days to lobby as the G7 and IMF meet (contact us there on 00447813137171).

While the US government and the Interim Iraqi government have spoken strongly for near-total debt cancellation, we are afraid that a compromise will be reached with creditors at only about 70% reduction, potentially leaving $40bn or more debt and requiring at least $2bn debt service next year. Furthermore this reduction will be processed through the Paris Club over a long period, requiring Iraq to obey the dictates of the IMF for many years (which, whether good or bad, will erode Iraq’s sovereignty) in order to receive this partial debt cancellation. Instead we continue to call for immediate and unconditional cancellation of all the odious debt, with a fair process of arbitration to settle any disputes with creditors who insist that their loans actually benefited Iraqis.

At this critical time please continue to lobby your politicians, demanding that Iraq be treated justly so that it will no longer be shackled by old loans which financed Saddam’s war machine. We must not forget either that the war reparations against Iraq continue to grow. On 23rd September the UNCC awarded $377m reparations, bringing Iraq’s total unpaid burden to $30.3bn so far. These reparations, particularly the majority which is to governments and companies, must be annulled because the suffering Iraqi people are not responsible for Saddam’s crimes.

This update is dedicated to Mohammed “Ghareeb” Hussein Ramadan, a dear friend and passionate advocate for Jubilee Iraq who was killed in August while delivering medical aid to Najaf. Like so many good people he made the ultimate sacrifice, and in his memory we redouble our efforts to work for a peaceful and prosperous Iraq.

The Interim Government has put significant energy into debt negotiations, with President Al-Yawar visiting Germany, a delegation visiting the Gulf and Interim Prime Minister Allawi writing: “The vast majority is odious debt, used to build up the war machine of the ousted regime, largely through arms purchases supported by the lending countries. The innocent people of Iraq cannot be expected to bear this crushing burden; the vast majority of the debt must be forgiven if Iraq is to have a chance. Despite vague statements of good intentions, however, concrete pledges of debt forgiveness have not yet been forthcoming.” As regards the reparations, a statement from the interim government said "In addressing this problem, the government will proceed from the premise that the Iraqi people must not bear responsibility and the consequences of the former regime's wars."
IMF: John Taylor said he hopes an IMF program can be finalised by the end of September, which means that a formal signing is likely at the IMF Autumn Meeting.
France, Germany and Russia have regularly been regularly quoted as supporting only 50% debt reduction, but an unnamed official said Germany may move to 66%. After a visit of Interim Foreign Minister Zebari to Russia, an Iraq-Russian committee was agreed to assess the Saddam-era contracts, which Russia is demanding be respected as a condition for even this minimal debt reduction. Russia also seems to have revised it’s claim upwards to $8.9bn from the $3.4bn (ex-interest) figure quote to the Paris Club in July 2003.
Japan: Richard Armitage thinks they will be “generous” but Japanese companies are lobbying the government: “We want to collect as much as possible” (Mikio Sasaki, chairman of Mitsubishi).
Jordan is proposing a reduction of debt “in exchange for taking part in the reconstruction”, the details are unclear.
Iran has been more vocal in claiming reparations recently, particularly in response to Saddam’s trial. General Ali-Reza Afshar said that the Iranian Army has compiled a 1500-page report and because if Saddam was found guilty of crimes against Iran, Iraq would have to pay reparations
In an unexpected response to a question in a house subcommittee, Deputy Secretary State Richard Armitage has said that the Gulf funds were grants not loans provided to Saddam during the Iran war. Jubilee Iraq and most Iraqis have long asserted this, and even if these funds have been structured as loans they would have been 100% odious.

Calendar of important dates:

end September IMF-Iraq agreement predicted by Under Secretary John Taylor
1 October G7 finance ministers, Washington
2-3 October IMF/World Bank Autumn meetings, Washington
12 October Paris Club monthly meeting – possible date for an agreement
14-15 October Donor conference in Tokyo
21 October Next scheduled payment of UNCC reparations
2 November US elections
mid November Paris Club monthly meeting
7-9 December 54th meeting of UNCC – Jubilee Iraq will be protesting as usual
mid December Paris Club monthly meeting – last opportunity for debt agreement within declared G8 schedule
January Iraqi elections scheduled

Launch of IWSG blog

Apologies that this has taken so long, but here it is at last!
Solidarity to Iraqi workers!!