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Posted on 06/30/2003 1:53:12 PM PDT by Ragtime Cowgirl
Tuesday, June 17, 2003
In the aftermath of the U.S devastating war on Iraq and on the following May Day, we, a group of activists in the labor movement, have founded the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq-UUI. Our decision to form this union was an essential response to the extraordinary circumstances in which Iraq has gone through.
13 years of economic sanctions as well as the dominance of the Ba’ath regime have had its greatest impact on imposing the minimum standards of living, the most inhuman working conditions, and a large-scale unemployment on the masses of workers.
The Anglo-American war, which ended with the occupation of Iraq, has pushed further up the unemployment rates to dreadful levels. Most of the industrial and service facilities and institutions were rendered out of service and thousands of factories and smaller workshops have closed their doors either due to lack of water and electricity, or due to lack of security. Rumors are widely being spread around that the U.S is thinking of privatizing the public sector. This clearly means an increase in unemployment among workers. Millions of workers are out of work with absolutely no means of earning a living, threatened with hunger while the food ration, distributed by the previous regime is rapidly running out.
We have formed our union to bring all unemployed workers together and to push forward their basic demands. The Union of the Unemployed in Iraq has currently around 15,000 members across the country, with centres in 3 major cities in Baghdad, Kirkuk and Nasiriya. Since founding our union we have organized weekly demonstrations to draw the attentions of the occupying forces to our status and conditions, but there has been no response to our demands so far. Our demands could be summarized: either Jobs or Unemployment Insurance. We also demand: emergency allowances to all unemployed and full payments to all those who lost their jobs because of war.
Since May 24th., 2003, we have been in continuous negotiations with the U.S Civil Administration, in vain. They are clearly postponing and maneuvering.
Dear Friends,
Our union has decided to organize a big demonstration across Iraq on Thursday, July 3rd, 2003. We, therefore, entreat you to support us in our demands. You could express your solidarity with us either through organizing protesting rallies or demonstrations or holding big protesting gatherings on the day of our demonstration, in front of those authorities that are responsible for our current situation i.e. the British and the American authorities. You could also send us letters of solidarity to our union and letters of protest to the US and British consulates and embassies in your countries.
We call on the workers of the US and Britain in particular to raise their voices against their governments which deny us our simplest demands.
Your solidarity with us will certainly reinforce the impact of our protests to compel the occupation forces in Iraq to submit to our demands.
In Solidarity,
Issam Shukri,
International Relations Coordinator
Bab Al-Sharki, Al Rasheed St., Old Labor Union Bldg. Baghdad, Iraq
Email: union_u_iraq@yahoo.com
Keepers of the Marxist Mailing List:
Wonder what color the sky is in their world?
That they pretend to care about their fellow Iraqis after 24 years of oppression, lies, torture and abuse is the PERFECT illustration of the hypocrisy of the COMMUNISTS, the DNC, the UNIONS, the left - and their pals in the press.
Silent No Longer: Iraqi People Reveal the Past
American Forces Press Service ^ | June 26, 2003 | Linda D. Kozaryn
Tales of Saddam's Brutality
[lengthy, graphic, White House websight]
| The Politics of Mass Destruction ^ |
I just wish the "majority" get off their duffs and counter this image.
This guy obviously did well with Saddam in power. He's now asking international UNIONS to help him disrupt our efforts in Iraq. Fortunately for our troops, he listed his 'home' address in Baghdad...as well as his e-mail addee (fortunately for us).
Please help Freep this idiot.
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Someone tell Sean Hannity that Utah has Marxists . . .
sans irrational exuberance,
of course !!
Guess I'm intolerant.
They're putting out crap like this letter - encouraging union members around the world to rise up against AMERICA - and especially from a former loyal employee of SADDAM the mass-murderer. Inciting riots in three Iraqi cities Thurs. could get our HONORABLE troops killed! Grrr!
Our union has decided to organize a big demonstration across Iraq on Thursday, July 3rd, 2003.
Your solidarity with us will certainly reinforce the impact of our protests to compel the occupation forces in Iraq to submit to our demands.
Issam Shukri,
International Relations Coordinator
Bab Al-Sharki, Al Rasheed St., Old Labor Union Bldg. Baghdad, Iraq
Email: union_u_iraq@yahoo.com
Go get 'em, troops.
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