The Iraqi's Are Coming To Your City! Tour Event Update

[Itsthetruth]

Six Iraqi labor leaders will be touring the US to speak with the labor movement to both educate US trade unionists about the conditions faced by Iraqi workers and their struggles and to build direct worker-to-worker, union-to-union solidarity and support for Iraqi trade unionists in their effort to build a progressive secular Iraq.


EVENT SCHEDULE UPDATE 6/1/2005

Washington, DC: Plymouth Church Reception and Presentation featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Sunday, June 12th 2005 2:30PM
Open to public

Washington, DC: Dinner with Iraqi Trade Union Leaders
Monday, June 13th 2005 5:00PM - 7:00PM
Donations $25/ticket ahead of time or at the door

Washington, DC: Press Briefing
Tuesday, June 14th 2005 9:00AM-11:00AM
Open to press

Washington, DC: Iraqi Unionists Speak Out: Resistance Under Occupation
Tuesday, June 14th 2005 7:00PM-9:00PM
Open to public

Baltimore, Maryland: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Forum
Wednesday, June 15th 2005 6:30PM
Open to public

Washington, DC: Iraqi Trade Unionist speak at AFL-CIO
Wednesday, June 15th 2005 5:30PM-8:00PM
Open, but limited space

Valley Glen, California: Forum featuring Iraqi oil union leaders
Thursday, June 16th 2005 1:00PM
Open to public

St. Paul, Minnesota: Democracy @ Work in Iraq and the US?
Thursday, June 16th 2005 7:00PM
Open to public

New York City, New York: Cornell University Labor Breakfast Forum featuring Iraqi labor leaders
Friday, June 17th 2005 8:30AM-10:30AM
RSVP required, $15/person

Chicago, Illinois: Iraqi Trade Unionists Speak
Friday, June 17th 2005 6:00PM
Open to public

New York, New York: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Event
Friday, June 17th 2005 5:30PM-8:00PM
Open to public

New Orleans, Louisiana: SOULstice Experience
Saturday, June 18th 2005 10:00 AM
Antiwar marches and festival (rally)

Los Angeles, California: International Labor Solidarity Forum
Saturday, June 18th 2005 4:15 PM
Open to public

Los Angeles, California: IRAQIS SPEAK OUT! PUBLIC FORUM
Saturday, June 18th 2005 7 PM
Open to public

Berkeley, California: Public Forum with Iraqi Oil Union Leaders
Sunday, June 19th 2005 6:45-9 PM
$5.00 or more requested but no one turned away for lack of funds.


Detroit, Michigan: The New Iraqi Labor Movement and the Right to Organize
Sunday, June 19th 2005 5:30PM
Open to public

San Jose, California: Iraqi Unions are Organizing, Despite all!
Sunday, June 19th 2005 1:30PM - 3:30PM
$5 admission, but no one turned away.

Madison, Wisconsin: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Forum
Monday, June 20th 2005 12:00PM - 1:00 PM
Open to public

Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Iraqi Labor Leaders Public Event
Monday, June 20th 2005 7:00PM
Open to public

Martinez, California: Iraqi Labor Tour: Contra Costa County Event
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 6:30 p.m.
Open to public

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: The US and Iraq: Jobs or Occupations?
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 7:00PM
Open to the public.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Labor Luncheon featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 12:00PM
Open to labor, RSVP required

Hartford, Connecticut: Iraqi Workers and the War
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 6:00PM
Open to public

Seattle, Washington: Discussion with Iraqi Labor Leaders: "The Fight Against Pritivatization and Worker Protections"
Thursday, June 23rd 2005 7:00PM

Seattle, Washington: Press Conference
Thursday, June 23rd 2005 11:00AM
Open to public

[Norquist Nemesis]

1. Well, if they're looking for GOP support at these

it will be slim pickens. GOP doesn't support the right of workers to unionize. It goes against dogma.

[Itsthetruth]

2. Please Explain Your Comment

""Well, if they're looking for GOP support at these it will be slim pickens. GOP doesn't support the right of workers to unionize. It goes against dogma."

I don't understand your comment. What does this tour of Iraqi anti-occupation leaders have to do with the Republican Party? I'm sure that George Bush and occupation supporters would just as soon not have them tour the United States.

[Norquist Nemesis]

6. Anti-occupation leaders?

"Six Iraqi labor leaders will be touring the US to speak with the labor movement to both educate US trade unionists about the conditions faced by Iraqi workers and their struggles and to build direct worker-to-worker, union-to-union solidarity and support for Iraqi trade unionists in their effort to build a progressive secular Iraq."

It sounds to me like they are trying to build unions and having a very difficult time with it. Bush/GOP are ideologically opposed to unions and want privatization.

I see minimal references to occupation (anti or otherwise). Of these, the event seems to be anti-war demonstrations in the US and the Iraqis are invited as part of the program. In other words, the event is not happening because of their appearance but they are one item of several activities for that particular event.

I agree, Bush et al would just as soon not have them touring. As to being related to the Republican Party...they don't support unions.

[Itsthetruth]

8. They Are Opposed To The Occupation

All of the Iraqi union leaders are opposed to the U.S. occupation as are the labor organizations they represent.

Most of the events have been organized by labor union activists who support U.S. Labor Against the War. You can visit their website for more information. I urge you to read yesterday's statement released by U.S. Labor Against The War (USLAW) on the tour which presents a lot of information on the politics of the labor organizations which these union leaders represent.


Statement On Iraqi Labor Solidarity Tour
Go to this link:

http://uslaboragainstwar.org/article.php?list=type&type...

And clink on:

"IMPORTANT USLAW Statement on Iraqi Labor Solidarity Tour"

Issued May 31, 2005 by the USLAW Co-Convenors
US Labor Against the War
May 31, 2005

The statement is in pdf format.

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. I think you're reading me wrong on this

I fully support them and am glad to see they have support here in the states toward these goals. Privatization is not going to be in their best interests or ours if, in fact, we are there to spread democracy. Unionizing is necessary.

Thanks for all of the info! :)

[Itsthetruth]

11. Glad To Hear You're Supporting Them!

I hope they are speaking at a location near you.

[bicentennial_baby]

3. Where can we get more info?

I'd like to go to the Hartford, CT one.

[Itsthetruth]

4. Hartford Contact

You can send an e-mail to Steve Thornton:

June 22: Hartford
Contact: Steve Thornton
[e-mail]

or you can call or e-mail Thomas Bacon at:

Please contact Thomas Bacon at 504.897.6036 or [e-mail] if you have questions.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. Thank you!

I will do that!

[Itsthetruth]

7. Most Events Are Open To The General Public

Most of their speaking engagements are open to the general public. You do not have to be a union member to attend.

Here's some background information on the Iraqi union leaders.

IRAQI FEDERATION OF LABOR (IFTU)
Abdullah Muhsin, International Representative, fled Iraq in 1978 in the wake of a reign of terror waged by Saddam Hussein against all civil society organizations not under Ba’athist control. As a student activist, he has been targeted by the regime. He worked against Hussein from Italy and England in an underground trade union organization, the Workers Democratic Trade Union Movement. He resided in England until he returned to Iraq after the fall of the regime. He serves as the International Representative of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions.

Adnan A. Rashed, Executive Officer, Union of Mechanics, Printing and Metals Workers

FEDERATION OF WORKERS COUNCILS AND UNIONS OF IRAQ (FWCUI)
Falah Awan, President. The federation was founded after its first conference on December 8, 2003 which had included representatives of several syndicates, elected councils, and preparatory committees in several plants, enterprises, and factories.

Amjad Ali Aljawhry, Representative of the FWCUI and Union of the Unemployed in Iraq (UUI) for North America, was born in Baghdad in 1966. He earned a bachelor's degree in biology at Mosul University in 1989. Because of his political views, and organizing among sewing workers, he was blacklisted by the regime and was unable to find employment in any state enterprise. With his family, he fled to Turkey in 1995 and was active among Iraqi refugees there. Since 1996 he has lived in Toronto, Canada where he has spoken widely on Iraqi issues and has been active in the anti-sanctions and anti-war movements. He was invited to deliver lectures and hold conferences in Japan, France, United States, and Iraq regarding the labor movement before and after the US led war on Iraq. He is currently the FWCUI’s official representative in North America.

GENERAL UNION OF OIL EMPLOYEES (Basra)
Hassan Juma’a Awad Al Asade, Chief of the Executive Bureau, was born in Basra, Iraq, in 1952. He lives in the Jhoumouria neighbourhood with his wife, three daughters and three sons. He was an opponent of the Ba’athist regime, a human rights activist, and unionist who was imprisoned by the Ba’athist regime three times for “subversive” activity. He has served for thirty-one years as a technician in the Basrah Petroleum Company, the National Oil Company, and the Southern Oil Company. He is a founding member of the Oil Sector Union, and was elected its Chief Executive in July of 2004. This year, he traveled to Britain to meet with labor unions and British PM’s.

Faleh Abbood Umara, General Secretary, is 46 years old. He is married with two sons and two daughters. He is a founding member of the oil workers union and worked for the Southern Oil Company in Basra for 28 years. He is also a member of the local council in the Al-Hadi district in Basra. In 1998, he was detained by the Hussein regime for his activities on behalf of his coworkers. He as served on the union’s negotiating team with both the Oil Ministry and British occupation authorities to defend the rights and interests of oil industry workers in the post-Saddam era.

[Itsthetruth]

9. These Iraqi Leaders Deserve Our Respect And Support

These Iraqi union leaders have demonstrated incredible courage in their efforts to organize a strong Iraqi labor movement. They work under extremely difficult conditions. Three Iraqi union leaders were murdered earlier this year including the principal leader of the IRAQI FEDERATION OF LABOR (IFTU).

-------------------------------------------------------------

US Labor Against the War Condemns the Murders of Abu Fahad and Ahmed Adris Abbas

USLAW
March 3rd, 2005
US Labor Against the War Condemns the Murders of Abu Fahad and Ahmed Adris Abbas

US Labor Against the War (USLAW) strongly condemns the continued assassinations of Iraqi union leaders. On February 18, Ali Hassan Abd (Abu Fahad), was murdered. He was a leader of the Oil and Gas Workers Union at Baghdad's Al Doura refinery, an affiliate of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions. His assassination was especially brutal, as he was walking home with his young children when gunmen ran up and shot him.

Less than a week later, on February 24, armed men gunned down Ahmed Adris Abbas in Baghdad's Martyr's Square. Adris Abbas was an activist in the Transport and Communications Union, another IFTU affiliate. The murder of the two followed the torture and assassination of Hadi Saleh, the IFTU's international secretary, in Baghdad on January 4.

Abu Fahad, Ahmed Adris Abbas and Hadi Saleh were all courageous activists, who sought to organize their fellow workers to win the elements of a better life, the same basic things sought by workers in the US and around the world. Iraqi workers need a living wage that can support their families, not the oppressive $35/month imposed by the occupation. They need secure and safe jobs and lives, and an end to violence and terrorism. Their unions need an end to the 1987 law banning bargaining in the public sector, where most Iraqis work. Iraqi unions seek to stop the US-initiated privatization of their workplaces that would put control of the Iraqi economy in the hands of powerful multinational corporations, not Iraqi workers or Iraqi society. They want the occupation to end. They want to determine for themselves, free of outside interference, the future of Iraq.

These are the ideals that Abu Fahad and Ahmed Adris Abbas lived for. They are the demands they died for. As trade unionists committed to solidarity, we in USLAW offer our sincere condolences to their families and coworkers. We share their desire for a democratic and peaceful Iraq free of occupation and terrorism. USLAW recommits itself to ending the occupation -- which is the principal cause of destabilization in Iraq -- and the immediate return of all US troops to their homes and families.

[Itsthetruth]

12. For People Just Getting Home From Work