Congress Members Act for Iraqi Worker Rights

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)
"We are deeply concerned that the [Iraqi] government is not taking the necessary steps to promote fundamental worker rights, which we regard as a cornerstone of a functioning democracy and a fair economy," say Congress members Jan Schakowski (D-IL) and Linda Sanchez (D-CA), in a letter this week to their House colleagues. The letter is part of a campaign to have Congress members call on Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki to recognize and respect labor rights in Iraq. "Of particular concern is that a 1987 law imposed by Saddam Hussein to effectively ban independent trade unions still remains in force in Iraq. Under the law, the right to bargain collectively and the right to strike were abolished, as was the nation's minimum wage." Workers union rights were further weakened in 2005 when the Iraq government passed a decree that froze union bank accounts, "crippling unions' ability to function," the letter adds. US Labor Against the War and the AFL-CIO are asking activists to call their Congress member (1-888-261-4755) and ask them to sign onto the letter. Click here to download calling instructions and talking points.