Al-Ghad

Iraqi Oil Workers Unions Call for Strikes and Civil Disobedience to Stop Oil Exports to Defeat the Oil Law. They Call for Support from the Workers of Arab Countries and the World

Translated from Al-Iraqi News

Baghdad
by Mazin Rafi

The Iraq Oil Workers Union threatened to halt the pumping of Iraqi Oil from the port of Al Bakir on the Arabian Gulf to the world, if the Iraqi Parliament passes the Oil and Gas Law. The President of the Union of Iraqi Workers, Mr Subhi Al Badri said, in a telephone conversation, that the decision to stop the exports from the only port of capable of exporting Iraqi oil to the world is only one of the decisions which have been passed by the Iraq Oil Workers Union in their meeting held in Basra Province.

He clarified that the Iraqi labour movement feels anxious about the probable passing of the Oil Law, in its present form, and its effect on the future of the oil industry in Iraq, and on the rights of those working in its establishments. Also, he expects that the implementation of the decision alluded to, together with the return of the hegemony of the monopolistic companies on oil industry in the spheres of exploration, production and export, would have negative effects on the rights of a million Iraqi workers.

Al Badri also added that the protests of the workers of Iraq against the Oil Law would not be confined to the blockage of the Iraqi oil supplies to the world market, but would include the declaration of civil disobedience in several Iraqi provinces, including the capital, Baghdad. There would be also, strikes in a number of oil and industrial establishments in Iraq.

He expressed his confidence in the ability of the Iraqi workers in taking part in defeating the Oil Law, which he said would return Iraq to the age of monopolistic companies and deprive the workers of the rights they gained through the national oil investment.

He also, revealed that the workers of Iraq have founded a Popular Front to oppose and resist the Oil and Gas Law and all projects that aim at Iraq riches, and to confront those who strive to confiscate it.

Al Badri called on the Union of Arab workers, and on the workers of the whole world to support the workers of Iraq in their stand to defend the oil riches of Iraq, and to defeat projects to squander them and exploit them by the oil monopolies.

He accused Iran of stealing Iraqi oil from the oil fields of Majnoon in the south of Iraq pointing out that the deteriorating security situation and the sectarian strife are the facilitating conditions enabling Iran to stealing Iraq’s valuable resources without the slightest response from the Iraqi government.