Under the leadership of the Southern Oil Union, the workers of the Oil Pipes Company in Shoayba in the southern Iraqi city of Basra began a general strike at 8.00 AM on 22 August 2006. The strike has completely paralysed pumping oil from all Iraqi ports in Basra.
This strike came after months of protests by workers against their working condition and low wages. The workers' demands are as follow:
1. Wages must be paid in due time.
2. Overtime work must be paid
3. Increase workers' allowances
4. Provide ambulances at working places to transfer sick workers to hospital when needed.
The government and its administrations have turned a blind eye to the demands raised by workers for months. Therefore the workers were forced to resort to the weapon of strike to impose their demands on the government and South Oil Company.
We express our support for the workers and their demands. We ask the government and its administrations to immediately meet the workers' demands. We hold the occupation and the government installed by it responsible for the consequences of this strike.
We call on all labour organisations, trade unions and all freedom loving people to support this strike and to exert pressure on the Iraqi government to meet the demands of Basra oil workers.
From the "Abroad Organisation of the Worker-communist Party of Iraq".
