A collection of the latest press releases from the IFTU.
The Public Service Workers' Union (IFTU) condemns terrorist attacks against hairdressers
The Public Service Workers' Union, an IFTU affiliate, has issued a statement condemning terrorist attacks against hairdressers.
A wave of terrorist attacks carried out against workers in beauty saloons in Baghdad and across many other cities in the middle and south of Iraq has resulted in the brutal murders of many workers in this field who are struggling in the most difficult circumstance to earn a living so as to feed their families and children. These innocent workers have been subjected to the most barbaric and violent murders at the hands of backward terrorists who have no regards to human rights and who are killing them because they claim hairdressing is an 'un-Islamic' practice which must be stopped.
These extremists who are killing hairdressers without mercy are murdering them in the same way they assassinated prominent Iraqi patriots such as engineers, businessmen and doctors and bombed worship places such as churches and mosques.
These barbarians are killing in the name of Islam, but Islam is a peaceful religion and forbids such act of violence.
The Public Service Workers Union strongly condemns these vile acts and calls upon the new transitional government to take urgent steps to protect the lives of innocent hairdressers who are doing a public service to Iraqis and to bring those criminals and terrorists who have killed and terrorized others to justice so that they can receive their just punishment.
May God bless the souls of our murdered brothers and may they rest in heaven.
Condolences and deepest sympathy are with the bereaved families
Glory to the martyrs of Iraqi democracy.
The Public Service Workers Union
The Executive Committee
Baghdad, 22 May 2005
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Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU)
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May 21, 2005
IFTU honours Hadi Saleh, our fallen comrade on May Day.
At the May Day celebrations in Baghdad this year, the President of the IFTU Mr Rasem Al Awadi honoured 20 trade unionists for their services to working people and patriotic sacrifices for Iraq and the trade union movement.
The IFTU President Mr Rasem Al Awadi honoured the 20 veterans of the Iraqi Trade Union movement, including Hadi Saleh our murdered comrade.
These comrades fought for democracy, jobs and above all the right of Iraqi working people to form and join independent, free and democratic trade unions, for the right to strike and the right to trade union representation.
Fuad Al Alaskary,
Satar Areaby,
Ibrahim al Bana,
Farage Eaalewi,
Ali Al Ghazaly,
Hashim Hamdan,
Abass Hussein.
Sadeq Jaffer,
Hatab Juna,
Shaee Khassem,
Mohammed Khthban,
Askar Ileaby,
Jassem Mashkur,
Abdel Razaq Mazed,
Hashim Mufti,
Basheer Naama,
Salam Daud Narjes,
Jabar Nasah,
Hadi Saleh,
Shaker Salman.
IFTU
20 May 2005
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Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU)
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May 25, 2005
International Federation of Journalists reports 3 more Iraqi journalists murdered by terrorists
IFJ Baghdad Centre Focus on Safety as Three More Journalists Die in Iraq’s Media Nightmare
20/05/2005
Three Iraqi journalists have been assassinated in “cold-blooded and ruthless executions” on the roadside south of Baghdad reports the safety office of the International Federation of Journalists in Iraq.
The attack took place on Sunday when the journalists were travelling to Kerbala from Baghdad. They were among 13 passengers in a minibus that was stopped by an armed group who picked out the journalists when they showed their press cards. The rest of the passengers were freed, but Najem Abd Khudair, the Kerbala correspondent for the newspaper Al Mada, Ahmad Adam, a freelance writer for Al Mada and trainee journalist, Ali Jassem Al Rumi, working for Al Safeer newspaper in Baghdad were then killed.
“These colleagues were savagely murdered,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “They had their throats cut in cold-blooded and ruthless executions that are a cruel demonstration of the horrors of working in journalism in Iraq today.”
These latest killings bring to 85 the number of journalists and media staff killed in Iraq since the US and British invasion in March 2003. Of this number some 62, almost 80 per cent, are Iraqi. The number also includes 14 deaths at the hands of US troops, which have prompted the IFJ and others to demand independent reports on the circumstances.
The IFJ is also demanding that US and Iraq authorities free eight Iraqi journalists, most working for western media, who were arrested in March allegedly because “they pose a security risk to the Iraqi people and coalition forces.”
“These arrests, without formal charges, are nothing short of intimidation,” said White. “Journalism in Iraq is in the deepest crisis and the authorities should bring forward clear charges or release these journalists immediately. The uncertainty and injustice of arrest and arbitrary detention is intolerable.”
The IFJ opened its safety office in Baghdad last month with the support of Iraqi journalists who have created the Iraqi National Journalism Advisory Panel to improve levels of protection for journalists, to campaign for journalists’ rights and to encourage journalists to work together in the current crisis.
“Iraqi journalists get no training, they have no safety equipment, they have no insurance or social protection,” said White. “The Baghdad centre, which is drafting guidelines on safety precautions for journalists in Iraq, provides much-needed support.”
The centre has produced and issued media and journalists in Iraq with a special safety package -- an Iraqi edition of the safety manual Live News in Arabic, first aid kits, and a CD-Rom guide to security and protection for media staff.
For further information please contact +32 2 235 22 07
The IFJ represents over 500,000 journalists in more than 110 countries
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Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU)
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May 01, 2005
May Day greetings to the labor movement and working people of Iraq: USLAW
MAY DAY GREETINGS TO THE LABOR MOVEMENT AND WORKING PEOPLE OF IRAQ
FROM U.S. LABOR AGAINST THE WAR AND ITS 110 AFFILIATED LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
In the name of peace, freedom and social justice, US Labor Against the War sends our greetings to the labor movement and workers of Iraq on May Day. With great courage, you have begun to reorganize your country's unions, and reclaim the historic traditions of Iraq's labor movement.
You are organizing in the face of very difficult economic conditions, including massive unemployment and extremely low wages, which have been imposed on you by the US/British occupation. In spite of these difficulties, workers throughout Iraq have organized strikes and demonstrations, and have successfully begun to raise the living standards of working families.
You have opposed the Bush administration plan for the privatization of Iraq's workplaces and resources. You have called for an end to the US occupation, and for a democratic political process to ensure that Iraq has a government that represents the needs and aspirations of Iraqi workers. We share these goals.
You have faced extreme violence, and the assassination of your leaders, without succumbing to fear, terror and intimidation. In the face of all these challenges you have remained courageously resolute in your commitment to a peaceful, democratic and just multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Iraq. You deserve the congratulations and support of unions and workers throughout the world for your efforts.
We are very proud that May Day, the international workers' holiday, was born in the United States in struggle for the 8-hour day. Our own country contributed martyrs like Albert Parsons and the murdered labor heroes of Chicago, who died for the same ideals for which you fight today. We are your brothers and sisters in this struggle We will redouble our efforts to end the occupation of your country, to achieve full respect for the sovereignty and independence of Iraq, and to support you in your struggle to establish a democratic state with full respect for workers' rights. We will march beside you, and support your movement, in any way we can.
Long live May Day! Long live the solidarity between the workers of Iraq and the United States!
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Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU)
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May 22, 2005
Terrorists kill 33 construction workers and injure 88 - some critically
A suicide car bomb exploded amidst workers who were waiting in the centre of the town of Tikrit to be picked up for work.
33 workers were killed instantly and 88 workers were injured. Some have life-threatening injuries.
And in separate act of terrorism, two cleaning workers were killed in Baghdad by a roadside bomb.
On May 14 2005, in the Al-Dorah district of Baghdad, two roadsweepers were killed by a roadside bomb planted by terrorists.
The IFTU strongly condemns these atrocities against innocent workers and calls upon the Iraqi authorities to take urgent measures to protect the life of workers while carrying out their duties and further calls on it to bring to justice the killers, perpetrators of these heinous crime against defenceless people.
Our deepest sympathy and condolences are with the bereaved families
Glory to the martyrs of the Iraqi working class.
IFTU Information Office
22 May 2005
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