Iraqi Labor Leaders Begin U.S. Speaking Tour

[Itsthetruth]

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
June 9, 2005

Iraqi labor leaders fight for rights
By Alexandra Klaren

Washington, DC, Jun. 9 (UPI) -- Iraqi labor leaders plan to meet with U.S. lawmakers and other officials to drum up support for greater workers' rights in Iraq, organizers say.

"This is a chance for people in the U.S., especially working people, to hear from Iraqis themselves about what they want to have happen with their country," David Bacon, a labor journalist and co-organizer of the tour, told United Press International. "Unions are a fundamental building block of Iraqi civil society and if Iraq is going to become a democratic country, trade unions must play a very important role in determining what direction that is."

The group, invited by U.S. Labor Against The War, a Washington-based non-governmental organization, arrives in Washington Friday to begin a June 10-24 national tour that takes them to 20 cities. Members from the Iraqi Federations of Trade Unions, the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, and General Union of Oil Employees plan to meet with U.S. workers, union leaders, members of Congress and others to seek help for greater rights in Iraq.

Gene Bruskin, a USLAW co-convener, said there was some language in the transitional law that says unions should have a right to organize, but there was no implementation. "I think it's broadly recognized by virtually every democratic leader and government and society in the world that you cannot have democracy without free trade unions," Bruskin said. "And so we think it's really important for people in the U.S. to hear directly from Iraqis, and these Iraqis in particular, because they represent secular, democratic, progressive voices."

http://www.washtimes.com/upi-breaking/20050609-105532-1284r.htm

[Karenina]

1. Kick!

:kick:

[Itsthetruth]

2. Tour Events And Contact Information

TOUR EVENTS

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

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

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

Los Angeles, California: LA Valley College 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

Piscataway, New Jersey: Rutgers Public event featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Thursday, June 16th 2005 12:00PM - 2:00PM
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

Los Angeles, California: Labor Forum featuring Iraqi oil union leaders: "The Iraqi Struggle for Labor Rights and Against Privatization
Saturday, June 18th 2005 3:00PM
Open to public

Los Angeles, California: Community Forum featuring Iraqi oil leaders "The Iraqi Struggle for Labor Rights and Against Privatization"
Saturday, June 18th 2005 7 PM
Open to public

New Orleans, Louisiana: Soulstice Experience
Saturday, June 18th 2005 12:00 Noon - 8:00 PM
Peace Rally, march, music, speakers, and family picnic to Bring the Troops Home Now!

Atlanta , Georgia: The Black Radical Congress Presents: Iraqi Union Leaders Speak Out
Saturday, June 18th 2005 7:30PM
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

Lynn, Massachusetts: Public meeting featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Monday, June 20th 2005 5:00PM
Open to public

Martinez, California: Iraqi Labor Tour: Contra Costa County Event
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 6:00PM
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

Roxbury, Massachusetts: Public meeting featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 6:00PM
Open to public

Boston, Massachusetts: UMass Lunch and Discussion featuring Iraqi Labor Leaders
Tuesday, June 21st 2005 12:00PM
Contact for details

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

Cheektowaga, New York: "Labor and the War" forum featuring Iraqi Trade Union Leaders
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 6:00PM - 9:00PM
Open to public

Portland, Oregon: Iraqi Labor Tour 2005 - Portland Event
Wednesday, June 22nd 2005 7:00 p.m.
Learn how the Bush Administration's pro-corporate, anti-labor agenda is playing out in the lives of ordinary working people in Iraq.

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

Cleveland, Ohio: COMMUNITY FORUM ON IRAQ
Friday, June 24th 2005 7:30PM
Open to public, $5 suggested donation, but no one turned away

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Iraqi Labor Leaders Speak Out!
Friday, June 24th 2005 6:00PM-8:00PM
$30; $15 for low-income or unemployed workers. Inquire in advance for tickets.

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

CONTACT INFORMATION

East coast: IFTU


June 15: Baltimore
Contact: Fred Mason
[e-mail]


June 16-17: New York City
Contact: Bill Henning
[e-mail]


June 18-19: Vermont
Contact: Dawn Stanger
[e-mail]


June 20-21: Boston
Contact: Russ Davis
[e-mail]


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


June 23: Stony Brook, NY
Contact: Michael Zweig
[e-mail]


June 24: Philadelphia
Contact: John Braxton
[e-mail]


Midwest: FWCUI
June 16: Minnesota
Contact: Tara Widner

[e-mail]


June 17-18: Chicago
Contact: Thomas Bacon
[e-mail]


June 18-19: Atlanta
Contact: Ajamu Dillahunt
[e-mail]


June 19: Detroit
Contact: Mike Parker
[e-mail]


June 20: Madison and Milwaukee
Contact: Carol Weidel and Sue Ruggles
[e-mail]
[e-mail]


June 21: Pittsburgh
Contact: John Lacny
[e-mail]


June 22-23: Buffalo
Contact: Tom Johnson
[e-mail]


June 24: Cleveland
Contact: Gabe Kramer
[e-mail]


West Coast: GUOE


June 16-18: Los Angeles
Contact: Andy Griggs
[e-mail]


June 16 and June 19-21: SF Bay Area
Contact: Michael Eisenscher
[e-mail]


June 22: Portland
Contact: Bob Marshall
[e-mail]


June 23: Seattle
Contact: Kathy Lipscomb
[e-mail]


June 24: Philadelphia
Contact: John Braxton
[e-mail]

[KG]

3. good luck to them.

but they'll be pissing into the wind - the US govt since the 1980s has been decidedly anti-union right here in the good ol' US of A

[geek tragedy]

4. These are brave, heroic folk who face oppression from all fronts--

the occupation, the insurgency, the Islamists.

The best of luck to them.