WORKERS STRIKE AT BASRA OIL TRANSPORTATION COMPANY!

The below is a translation of a statement released by the union
yesterday regarding strike action by workers at the Oil Transportation
Company in Basra. More news and updates will follow shortly.

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A one day strike took place on the 21/2/2006 organised by union members in
the Oil Transport Company in Basra. The strike took place for the
following reasons:

1- In Protest at the deliberate/targetted neglect of this company by the
ministry of oil and the government.

2- To demand an improvement of workers’ living conditions

3- To demand that money owed to workers by the ministry of oil which be
paid. This money should have been paid but has not, despite the continuous
demands from the company and continuous unfulfilled promises by the
ministry.

We are on strike today to send the message to the government that there
are employees whose rights are being wasted/violated.

In a statement to the press, the President of the Union demands that the
ministry meets its promises, and that structural changes be made within
the company as we (the union) believe there are some executives that
haven´t served the company right.

This sit-in will be the beginning of a long journey of struggle.

Long live the word of the Iraqi working class under a democratic, free
union organization

VENEZUELA'S HUGO CHAVEZ IS 30,000th SIGNER OF THE 'WOMEN SAY NO TO WAR' PETITION

'Anti-War Women Make a Splash at World Social Forums'

WASHINGTON - January 30 - During the World Social Forums in Caracas and
Bamako that closed on January 29, CodePink's campaign to stop the war in
Iraq received enthusiastic support from women's organizations and
prominent personalities who agreed to sign the call and bring the
signatures to their embassies on March 8, International Women's Day.

Among the new endorsers is Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who became
the 30,000th person to sign on at www.womensaynotowar.org. "There is no
stronger force than strong women demanding peace," said President
Chavez, as he met with CodePink cofounders Medea Benjamin and Jodie
Evans, and "Peace Mom" Cindy Sheehan. "I'm delighted to sign on, and
will encourage women throughout Venezuela to sign."

"We were overwhelmed by the tremendous support we received at the Forum
in Caracas," said Medea Benjamin. "Colombian women of the Ruta Pacifica,
who have struggling for a negotiated solution to their devastating civil
war, said they would join us on March 8. Parliamentarian Nidia Diaz from
El Salvador, the only country in Latin America with troops in Iraq, said
she'd organize a big anti-war forum for us in El Salvador. And further
north, the Canadian Autoworkers and Postalworkers pledged to circulate
the Call among their union members."

At the World Social Forum in Bamako, Mali, the main organizer and former
Minister of Culture Madame Aminata Traore signed on, as did Bisi
Adeleye-Fayemi, Executive Director of the African Women's Development
Fund. "African women know all too well that women and children are the
primary victims of war," said CodePink's Gael Murphy in Bamako. "That's
why they are anxious to show their solidarity with Iraqi and US women."

The Women Say No to War Campaign hopes to get 100,000 signatures on
their Urgent Call for Peace. On March 8, they will take the signatures
to US embassies around the world, hold antiwar events throughout the US,
and invite Iraqi women to Washington DC to talk to US elected officials
and the public. To interview the cofounders about their experiences at
the World Social Forums or about the Women Say No to War Campaign (see
www.womensaynotowar.org), contact call Meredith Dearborn at 415-575-5543
or email info@womensaynotowar.org.

TUC Iraq Bulletin - issue 2, January 2006

www.tuc.org.uk/international/tuc-11309-f0.cfm
The second issue of the TUC's bimonthly bulletin on
union developments in Iraq, designed to publicise
the work of the TUC Iraq Solidarity Committee.