Hundreds of Workers, Labour   activists and Unions in South Korea endorsed the complaint of UUI and FWCUI to ILO and demand that ILO Conventions 87 and 98 be fully enforced in Iraq.

www.uuiraq.org

November, 2004

(Complaint lodged to the ILO trade union freedom committee by the Federation of Workers Councils and Trade Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) and the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq (UUI)) .Please look to the attachment of this press release to read text of  the complaint

List of the Korean Labour Activists and Workers who endorsed our Compliant to ILO

An Seong Gon  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Bang Bok Hyun  "Subway Union"

Byun Hyun Joo / Theatrical Group "SAEBYEOK"

Cha Sang Yeol  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Chae Eui Soo / Volunteer of "Solidarity for Abolition of Unstable Labour"

Cheon Yeon Ock  Worker

Cheon Yeong Suk / "For Workers' Council"

Choi Da Hye

Choi Ho Jin  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Choi Hye Soon

Choi Min Yeong  / "Countermeasure Committee for Residence in Dayeon & Uam"

Choi Seong Min

Choi Yoeng  / "Center for Overcoming of Unemployment in Busan"

Ha Gye Jin  Worker

Ha Jae Myeong / "For Workers' Council"

Ha Seon Yeong / Cultural Commune "SogeumKott"

Han Dae Gu  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Han Eun Hee / "Center for Overcoming of Unemployment in Busan"

Han Ji Hye

Han Seong Wook  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Hong Sang Sim  / "Memory of Teacher, Sin Yong Gil"

Hong Seok Wan  Gia Motors Union

Hong Woong Sik / "National Stallmen's Association"

Hur Myeong Hyun  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Jang Seok Tae  "Subway Union"

Jeong Bong Wha  "Subway Union"

Jeong Chan Sik

Jeong Chun Seok  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Jeong Dae Cheol

Jeong Hyun Cheol / "Clerical Workers' Union in Seoul & Kyeong-In"

Jeong In Za

Jeong Mi Keong  / Clerical Worker

Jeong So Jeong

Jeong Whan Sik  / "Civil Movement of Green Traffic"

Jo Bock Soon

Jo Chan Joo / "Socialist Political Association"

Jo Gyee Hyun  Construction Union

Jo Jong Wan  "Subway Union"

Jo Myeong Je  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Jo Yong Soo

Kang Ju On

Kang Kyeong Suk

Kang Mi Seng / "Clercial Workers' Union in Seoul & Kyeong-In"

Kang Tae Wook  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Kang Young Jun  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Kim Dae Hee / "Korea Social Insurance Union"

Kim Gi Whan / "For the Democratic Bus Union"

Kim Hyun Kyeong

Kim Hyung Gyun  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Kim Hyung Jeong

Kim Jae Eu

Kim Jeong Min  Worker

Kim Ji Whoon  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Kim Jin Han  "Subway Union"

Kim Jong Gon  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Kim Jong Mi  / Cultural Commune "SogeumKott"

Kim Kwang Nam / "Countermeasure Committee for Residence in Dayeon & Uam"

Kim Mi Ok

Kim Sat Byeol

Kim Woon Yong / "Korea Social Insurance Union"

Kim Yu Na

Kim Yu Ri

Kim Yun Gil

Kin Yeon Sun / "Countermeasure Committee for Residence in Dayeon & Uam"

Lee Dong Gu  / "Clerical Workers' Union in Seoul & Kyeong-In"

Lee Dong Seop  "Subway Union"

Lee Dong Whon  "Subway Union"

Lee Du Seon

Lee Hye Jin

Lee Hyun Hun / "Memory of Teacher, Sin Yong Gil"

Lee Hyun Sik  / "For Workers' Council"

Lee Hyun Wha

Lee Hyung Ro / "Clerical Workers' Union in Seoul & Kyeong-In"

Lee Jeong A

Lee Jeong Ha

Lee Jeong Rae  Worker

Lee Jeong Rae / Worker

Lee Jung Hee  "Subway Union"

Lee Kang Geun  "Subway Union"

Lee Mi Yeong  Health & Medical Union

Lee Ok Sun

Lee Seong Jae /  "Clercial Workers' Union in Seoul & Kyeong-In"

Lee Seong Min  / "For Workers' Council"

Lee Seung Chan / "Public Service Workers' Union"

Lee Suk Gyeon / "Institute of Laboring Security & Health in Korea"

Lee Yeong Gun  / "Democratic Labor Party"

Lee Yeong Ho / "Subway Union in Busan"

Lee Yong Gyu  "Subway Union"

Lee-Whang Hyun A / "Institute of Policy for Workers' Enterprise"

Lim Woo Chun / "Civil Movement of Green Traffic"

Mun Jae Hoon  Worker

Mun Myeong Za

Na Yeong Ae  / Cultural Commune "SogeumKott"

Nam-gung Won /  "Socialist Political Association"

No Woo Seong  "Korea Rail Way Union"

O Sang Ryong Construction Union

Park Cha Yeon  / "Association for Realization for Residential Right"

Park Chang Yong

Park Hye Jeong

Park Hyo Seok  Worker 

Park Hyun Soo  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Park In Jo / "For Workers' Council"

Park Jeong Chul  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Park Jeong Sang / "Goods Transporters' Solidarity"

Park Ji Hoon  Worker

Park Ju Hee

Park Moon Seok  Worker

Park Mun Suck  / "Korea Facilities Management Union"

Park Tae Geon  "Subway Union"

Seo Ryung Won

Seo Yeong Nam  Worker

Seok Jung Wha

Seok Yeong Jin

Sim Yeun Ji

Sin Byung Hyun / Professor

Sin Seung Cheol / "Professor Union"

Sin Sun Mi

Sin Yong Tae  "Subway Union"

Son Iee Heon  / "Association for Realization for Residential Right"

Song Jae Jun  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Whoang Jung A  / Theatrical Group "SAEBYEOK"

Yang Chun Bok  "Committee for Dismissed Workers' Reinstatement"

Yeem Tack Soon  "Korea Rail Way Union"

You Kyeong Hee  "Korea Rail Way Union"

You Sang Gee  "Korea Rail Way Union"

Yu Byung Min / Public Service Worker

Yu In Cheol / "Workers' Association in Busan"

Yu Mi Keong

Yu Whang Sun

Yun Moon Ho 

Complaint  to the ILO trade union freedom committee

Dear Sirs and Madams 

We, the undersigned duly elected representatives acting on behalf of the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq (UUI) and of the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI), wish hereby to lodge a complaint to the International Labour Organisation's Trade Union Freedom Committee

- Whereas, several trade union organisations were set up by the Iraqi workers themselves after the fall of the previous regime, including the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq (of which the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq is an affiliate);

- Whereas, the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq was set up at its founding national conference held December 8, 2003 in Baghdad with worker delegates representing workplaces from across Iraq;

- Whereas, the Federation of Workers' Councils and Unions in Iraq is now grouping 300,000 Iraqi workers;

- Whereas, the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq was formed in May 2003, when they elected an Executive Council that elected their General Secretary;

- Whereas, the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq now has formed local branches in 7 provinces recording so far 150,000 affiliated workers from around the country;

- Whereas, on January 28, 2004 Decree No 16 issued by Interim Governing Council President Adnan Pachachi granted recognition to one of the existing trade union federations in Iraq, the IFTU, by stating that the IFTU and its President, Mr Rasem Hussein Abdullah, are "the legitimate and legal representatives of the labour movement in Iraq"; and

- Whereas, at various workplaces such as the Baghdad railway station or Basra Refinery, after the adoption of Decree No 16 of January 28, 2004 Iraqi workers were told by the management that they should join the legalised union, thus implying that the other unions would be illegal.

- We therefore consider that the current situation created by the introduction of Decree No 16 is not consistent with ILO standards and more specifically violates dispositions of ILO Conventions 87 and 98.

Regarding ILO Convention 87

- In its Articles 1 & 2, ILO Convention 87 stipulates that, "Workers and employees without any distinction have the right, without prior authorisation, to set up organisations of their own choosing as well as the right to join these organisations" (Article1), and "Workers and employees' organisations have a right to elaborate their rule book and to elect freely their representatives" (Article 2).

Is there not a contradiction between the fact that the public authorities decided that a trade union was the "legitimate and legal representative of the labour movement in Iraq" and the fact that "workers and employees without any distinction have the right without prior authorisation to set up organisations of their own choosing as well as the right to join these organisations" ?

Is it not a violation of Article 1 of ILO Convention 87 when workplace managements instruct the workers on which trade union they should affiliate?

- Article 3 of ILO Convention 87, stipulates that, "Public authorities must abstain from any interference, any act restricting those rights or at preventing the legal exercise of these rights."

Is there not a violation of Article 3 of ILO Convention 87 when the public authorities decree which is the representave union?

We say that by passing Decree No 16 on January 28, 2004, which selects the union to be granted recognition, the public authorities took the right to decide which organisation should be recognised and thus barred the way to the freedom to affiliate to the union of own's own choosing.

It is a clear public interference in violation of ILO Convention 87. It perpetuates the previous system of official selection and recognition of trade unions, excluding the right to organise in the union of one's own choosing.

Regarding ILO Convention 98

- Article 1 of ILO Convention 98, stipulates that, "The organisations of workers and employees must be adequately protected against any mutual interference when for instance company managers threaten to dismiss workers for joining unions which are considered illegal."

Subsequent to the fact that the shameful law passed by Saddam Hussein in 1987 banning the right to strike in all public enterprises has not been repealed, Iraqi trade unionists have been threatened by company managers and attacked by the occupying forces for striking.

Iraqi workers are now being told by management and the authorities that by not affiliating to the only recognised union they are acting illegally. They can be arrested and sent to jail simply for exercising the right to organise in the union of their own choosing, a right which is enshrined in ILO Conventions.

These threats expressed in violation of the dispositions of ILO Convention 98 are made possible because ILO Convention 87 providing for the right to organise in the union of one's own choosing is not enforced.

- ILO Convention 98 provides for the right to bargain collectively.

It is a violation of ILO Conventions 87 and 98 when, by means of Decree No 16 of January 28, 2004 the authorities take the right to decide which organisations should be recognised and in so doing select which union should be granted the universally recognised right to negotiate.

Iraqi workers, with their duly elected representatives, should be allowed to formulate their demands towards the elaboration of a labour law, which can only be written in Iraq by the Iraqi workers themselves.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in Iraq are currently unemployed (70% of the workforce according to recent survey), and there is widespread fear that their economic well-being has been taken out of their control and in fact depends on the occupying forces. In the current situation, Iraqi workers fear that the decisions made by the occupying forces, particularly in the economic field with privatisation, would continue the plundering of the Iraqi resources by the multinational corporations. It is the people of Iraq themselves who must be in charge of drafting their own Constitution and their own laws, including their own labour law and the dispositions providing for the right to unemployment benefits and full trade union rights provided for by ILO Conventions and more specifically Conventions 87 and 98.

- Whereas, we consider that there can't be democracy in Iraq if the people of Iraq cannot decide themselves the disposition of their resources, their fate and their future -- and establish their own control over their own economy; if the Iraqi workers are not free to set up the organisations of their own choosing.

- Whereas, we share the views expressed by the ILO's Workers Group that,

 "The rehabilitation exercise and support must be provided for all the people of Iraq, especially the poor, the disabled, and vulnerable groups. The Group calls for the immediate resumption of work for all Iraqi workers, with due protection for their wages. It also demands that the oil resources of Iraq be used solely by the people of Iraq and exclusively for their benefit.

"In the new Iraq, there must be, consistent with ILO standards, full freedom of association, guaranteeing the Iraqi workers the right to organise and to bargain collectively; there must be democracy with full civil liberties, permitting trade unions to choose their own leadership independently and without interference; there must be the right to self-determination by the Iraqi people."

We, the undersigned duly elected representatives acting on behalf of the Unemployed in Iraq (UUI) and of the Federation of Workers Councils and Trade Unions in Iraq (FWCUI) affiliating 300 000 Iraqi workers, hereby lodge a complaint to the International Labour Organisation's Trade Union Freedom Committee requesting that the ILO use all its authority and its prerogatives so as to ensure that ILO Convention 87 and Convention 98 are fully enforced in Iraq and subsequently that full recognition be granted to the trade union organisations that were set up by the Iraqi workers themselves.

Thank you very much for your understanding

Baghdad - May 15, 2004

Signed/

Aso Jabbar,

Representative of the UUI and FWCUI abroad 

And in charge of;

www.uuiraq.org