Workers try to organize in Iraq by Timothy Bancroft-Hinchley (from Pravda)

Repression of workers by Iraqi authorities

The Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq is trying desperately to form Workers' Councils to defend workers' rights in Iraq. All they want is the right to organize and the right to strike. One such initiative was met with gunfire by the US-backed authorities. The FWCUI appeals to the international community for support.

Organized, dedicated, their ideals set on protecting workers' rights in Iraq and forming workers' councils to discuss questions of common interest, the Iraqi workers are as repressed in certain areas of the country as they were under the former regime.

The movement needs the support of the international community urgently and launches an appeal to all workers' movements, trade unions and political parties which respect and fight for workers' rights to contact the FWCUI to see how they can support the workers of Iraq in their quest to fight for their rights.

More than 350 delegates participated in the last conference in Basra, which as a great success, bringing together members of trade unions and workers' councils from all over Iraq. A united leadership was created to coordinate the rights of workers in southern Iraq.

The FWCUI is now trying to organize the second workers' conference in Baghdad in February, so as to set up a similar united body to coordinate the centre of the country.

"Our second conference is going to be another major step towards uniting workers around a clear progressive platform", declares the Federation, explaining that "It will facilitate the struggle of the workers of Iraq to impose their just demands on the pro-US administration".

Rather than fight the administration, the Federation intends to form strong and independent unions on a nationwide scale to protect the rights of Iraq's workers which are being trampled on by the repressive pro-US regime, as they were under the Ba'ath government.

The Federation intends to form a united working class front but to do so, it is fighting against considerable opposition by the authorities and suffers from a critical lack of funding and international support.

"We desperately need your help and solidarity. Concretely, we are asking for donations - large or small - to help make sure this vital working class gathering can go ahead" (FWCUI).

The Federation needs support to accommodate workers participating in the conference who come from outside Baghdad, to pay for the rent of the venue, transportation, security and food.

Contacts: Aso Jabbar and Houzan Mahmoud- FWCUI

E-mail: asojabbar@yahoo.com (Switzerland), houzan73@yahoo.co.uk (Britain)

Tel: Aso Jabbar (0041 78 882 55 89) , Tel: Houzan Mahmoud (00 44 79 56 88 3001)