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Under the leadership of the Southern Oil
Union, the Workers of Oil Pipes Company in
Shoayba in the southern Iraqi city of Basra
began a general strike at 8.00 AM on 22nd
August 2006. The strike has completely
paralysed pumping oil from all Iraqi ports
in Basra.
This
strike came after months of protests by
workers against their working condition and
low wages. The workers´ demands are as
follow:
1. Wages must be paid in due time.
2. Overtime work must be paid
3. Increase workers’ allowances
4. Provide ambulances at working places
to transfer sick workers to hospital when
needed.
The
government and its administrations have
turned a blind eye to the demands raised by
workers for months. Therefore the workers
were forced to resort to the weapon of
strike to impose their demands on the
government and South Oil Company.
We
express our support for the workers and
their demands. We ask the government and its
administrations to immediately meet the
workers’ demands. We hold the occupation and
the government installed by it responsible
for the consequences of this strike.
We
call on all labour organizations, trade
unions and all freedom loving people to
support this strike and to exert pressure on
the Iraqi government to meet the demands of
Basra oil workers.
Abroad Organization-Worker-communist Party
of Iraq
August
22,2006 |