Iraqi trade unionists to tour U.S.

People's Weekly World Newspaper, 06/09/05 09:36

Iraqi trade union leaders from three union organizations will tour the U.S. from June 10-26 under the sponsorship of U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW), a group composed of state labor federations, central labor councils and local unions.

The tour features representatives the Iraqi Federation of Labor (IFTU), General Union of Oil Employees–Basra (GUOE), and the Federation of Workers Councils and Unions of Iraq (FWCUI).

This will be the first opportunity to hear directly from Iraqis about the crisis conditions facing Iraq’s workers under the U.S. occupation. The trade unionists will speak about their struggles against the U.S.-corporate-inspired privatization drive and the occupation, and for a secular, democratic country that respects trade union rights.

The tour will begin with five days (June 10-15) in Washington, D.C., with a meeting with the national AFL-CIO leadership, a congressional briefing and a National Press Club event.

Tour events organized so far include meetings with labor bodies and public meetings. United for Peace and Justice (UFPJ) is helping to organize these events. Local peace groups, faith-based organizations and community groups are also participating.

A preliminary schedule of the tour follows:

East Coast tour featuring the IFTU: Baltimore, June 15; New York City, June 16-17; Vermont, June 18-19; Boston, June 20-21; Hartford, Conn., June 22; Stony Brook, N.Y., June 23; Philadelphia, June 24.

Midwest and South (FWCUI): St. Paul, Minn., June 16; Chicago, June 17-18; Atlanta, June 18-19; New Orleans, June 18; Detroit, June 19; Madison, Wis., & Milwaukee, June 20; Pittsburgh, June 21; Buffalo, N.Y., June 22-23; Cleveland, June 24.

West Coast (GUOE): Los Angeles, June 16-18; San Francisco Bay Area, June 16 and June 19-21; Portland, June 22; Seattle, June 23.

To get the most up-to-date information about the events, visit USLAW’s web site, www.uslaboragainstwar.org.