The 9th issue of the FWCUI news bulletin - November-December 2006
1. Zakho - Iraqi Kurdistan: Workers from Zakho reported discrimination against Arab workers from the centre and the south by paying them less than Kurdish and foreign workers. It is well known that there is a migration to Zakho and the rest of Kurdistani cities because of lack of work and security in the center and south of Iraq.
2. Suleimaniyah, Thursday 16-11-2006: 1800 citizens protest in Raba Rin neighbourhood of Suleimaniyah because the authorities did not distribute fuel (cooking gas tubes), the cost of which has risen 23,000 dinars for each tube(almost 16US$). After the people showed their determination to gather and protest, the fuel was distributed at a cost of 5,000 dinars per tube.
3. Baghdad, mid November 2006: The number of hairdressers killed by militias in the Al Amil and Al Bayaa neighbourhoods has reached 132. This figure was reported by
members of the services’ union residing in those areas.
4. Rise in abduction of workers from their workplaces: a considerable increase in the abductions of workers from their workplaces took place in November and December, especially in the Al Waziriyah district of Baghdad where a large number of factories and companies are located. The recent month saw a large number of kidnappings and killings of workers.
5. Tuesday 5-12-2006, Baghdad, preparatory meeting for general workers’ conference: a meeting of unions and workers’ federations’ leaders took place in the FWCUI Headquarters. The meeting tackled the main issues concerning the workers’ movement in Iraq and the necessity and possibility of holding a general conference for most leading unionists of Iraq in order to discuss the basic issues confronting society, such as the sectarian violence and standing up against the current divisions in the workers’ movement.
Thursday, December 14
Wednesday, December 6
Partnership project delivers fire engines to Iraq
Two fire engines have been successfully delivered to firefighters in Iraq and Kurdistan thanks to a partnership between the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), Perkins Engines Company and the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service.
A team of FBU officials undertook the humanitarian trip, after securing support from Perkins and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The team started from Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, and from there the two engines were driven across ten different countries and covered a total of nearly 5000 kilometres.
Travelling via the channel tunnel the vehicles were handed over to officials of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers in Du Hok in Kurdistan. From there the fire engines were taken on to Irbil in Kurdistan and Baghdad in Iraq.
Adrian Clarke regional official of the FBU for the East of England said:
“In my experience this was a unique partnership led by a trade union and supported by both a public service and a private industry company to deliver humanitarian help to another part of the world. Fire fighters in Iraq face probably the most dangerous working conditions of any firefighters anywhere in the world at present.”
Previous visits by FBU officials delivering much needed fire kit to firefighters in Iraq had highlighted the desperate need for fire engines and equipment to carry out their duties.
Following consultations between the FBU and Chief Fire Officer Tom Carroll of the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service an agreement was reached for the FBU to purchase two appliances that had finished their operational service in Cambridgeshire and were due for disposal.
Before travel the Fire and Rescue Service’s vehicle maintenance department serviced both fire engines. Firefighters also helped ready the engines for the trip as well as helping with supplying equipment to go on them. This ensured that the Iraqi and Kurdistan firefighters had a basic firefighting and rescue capacity when they were delivered.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer Tom Carroll said: “We were only too pleased to be able to support the FBU with their venture. It is good to know that kit and fire engines that have served us well in Cambridgeshire for a number of years and come to the end of their useful life for us, can help our firefighter colleagues in Iraq and Kurdistan provide a better service for their communities.”
As one of the vehicles was powered by a Perkins diesel engine the FBU decided to contact Perkins Engines in Peterborough and request its help. Perkins responded immediately providing support both financially and logistically. Along with a financial donation Perkins supplied a basket of service parts for the engines. The company also gave the team a list of distributors in every country which the vehicles would travel through and instructed these distributors to support any requests for assistance.
The engines proved to be extremely reliable with the only vehicle breakdowns being electrical faults.
Marion King, marketing communications manager at Perkins Engines said: “We were delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile humanitarian project.
“After meeting Adrian Clarke, who explained the background to the trip, we immediately agreed it was something Perkins wanted to support. Our sponsorship committee decided to assist with the cost of the trip but we also wanted to help ensure the vehicles made it to their final destination.
“We spoke to our distributors throughout Europe and the Middle East and they all agreed to provide assistance to the team throughout their trip.
“We were delighted to hear both vehicles had been delivered safely and that the Perkins engine had performed extremely well throughout the journey.”
Mr Clarke added: “The FBU has long been supporting our fellow firefighters in Iraq and without the help of these partners this project would not have happened. Both Perkins Engines and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service should be congratulated on their support of this life saving project and they should be proud that they employ people who not only talk the talk on diversity issues but that they are also prepared to walk the walk with their individual actions. The fact is that these fire appliances that served the communities of Cambridgeshire are now carrying on what they were designed to do and are helping to save lives once again”.
A team of FBU officials undertook the humanitarian trip, after securing support from Perkins and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service.
The team started from Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, and from there the two engines were driven across ten different countries and covered a total of nearly 5000 kilometres.
Travelling via the channel tunnel the vehicles were handed over to officials of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers in Du Hok in Kurdistan. From there the fire engines were taken on to Irbil in Kurdistan and Baghdad in Iraq.
Adrian Clarke regional official of the FBU for the East of England said:
“In my experience this was a unique partnership led by a trade union and supported by both a public service and a private industry company to deliver humanitarian help to another part of the world. Fire fighters in Iraq face probably the most dangerous working conditions of any firefighters anywhere in the world at present.”
Previous visits by FBU officials delivering much needed fire kit to firefighters in Iraq had highlighted the desperate need for fire engines and equipment to carry out their duties.
Following consultations between the FBU and Chief Fire Officer Tom Carroll of the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service an agreement was reached for the FBU to purchase two appliances that had finished their operational service in Cambridgeshire and were due for disposal.
Before travel the Fire and Rescue Service’s vehicle maintenance department serviced both fire engines. Firefighters also helped ready the engines for the trip as well as helping with supplying equipment to go on them. This ensured that the Iraqi and Kurdistan firefighters had a basic firefighting and rescue capacity when they were delivered.
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service’s Chief Fire Officer Tom Carroll said: “We were only too pleased to be able to support the FBU with their venture. It is good to know that kit and fire engines that have served us well in Cambridgeshire for a number of years and come to the end of their useful life for us, can help our firefighter colleagues in Iraq and Kurdistan provide a better service for their communities.”
As one of the vehicles was powered by a Perkins diesel engine the FBU decided to contact Perkins Engines in Peterborough and request its help. Perkins responded immediately providing support both financially and logistically. Along with a financial donation Perkins supplied a basket of service parts for the engines. The company also gave the team a list of distributors in every country which the vehicles would travel through and instructed these distributors to support any requests for assistance.
The engines proved to be extremely reliable with the only vehicle breakdowns being electrical faults.
Marion King, marketing communications manager at Perkins Engines said: “We were delighted to be able to support such a worthwhile humanitarian project.
“After meeting Adrian Clarke, who explained the background to the trip, we immediately agreed it was something Perkins wanted to support. Our sponsorship committee decided to assist with the cost of the trip but we also wanted to help ensure the vehicles made it to their final destination.
“We spoke to our distributors throughout Europe and the Middle East and they all agreed to provide assistance to the team throughout their trip.
“We were delighted to hear both vehicles had been delivered safely and that the Perkins engine had performed extremely well throughout the journey.”
Mr Clarke added: “The FBU has long been supporting our fellow firefighters in Iraq and without the help of these partners this project would not have happened. Both Perkins Engines and Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service should be congratulated on their support of this life saving project and they should be proud that they employ people who not only talk the talk on diversity issues but that they are also prepared to walk the walk with their individual actions. The fact is that these fire appliances that served the communities of Cambridgeshire are now carrying on what they were designed to do and are helping to save lives once again”.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)