[Peace-discuss] Fwd: [ilrtf] Ask you member of Congress to support labor rights in Iraq

Wed Feb 25 09:11:42 CST 2004

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>Subject: [ilrtf] Ask you member of Congress to support labor rights in Iraq
>
>Please distribute widely.
>
>Dear Labor Antiwar Activist:
>
>U.S. Labor Against the War, in conjunction with Progressive Portal 
>and Progressive Secretary, urges you to use the link below to write 
>an on-line letter to your member of Congress urging support for 
>labor rights in Iraq and asking that they cosign a letter being 
>circulated in Congress to Paul Bremer, head of the Occupation 
>Authority in Iraq, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.  A 
>sample letter is provided below, however, the on-line form allows 
>each writer to draft their own.  The electronic letter will be 
>available on or immediately after February 24th, the National Day of 
>Action Against the Corporate Invasion of Iraq.
>
>Text of the Congressional letter to Bremer and Rumsfeld can be found 
>at http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/resources/resource.php?id=391
>
>
>http://www.progressiveportal.org/iraq-labor.html
>
>Defend Iraqi Workers' Rights
>
>
>A joint campaign of
>  <http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/>U.S. Labor Against the War, 
><>Progressive Portal, and 
><http://www.progressivesecretary.org/>Progressive Secretary.
>
>
>Since the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, workers there have faced 
>intolerable conditions: massive unemployment, grossly inadequate 
>compensation in the few jobs that can be found, and harassment of 
>organized labor by the occupying forces. The Coalition Provisional 
>Authority (CPA) has arrested labor leaders repeatedly and ransacked 
>union offices -- and, unbelievably, is enforcing Saddam Hussein's 
>anti-union laws.
>
>Members of Congress, led by Rep. Sam Farr (CA), are preparing a 
><http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org/resources/resource.php?id=391>letter 
>to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and CPA Administrator Paul 
>Bremer calling on the CPA to provide jobs or income to Iraqi 
>workers, pay a living wage, and allow Iraqi workers to exercise 
>internationally recognized labor rights.
>
>Urge your Representative to sign onto the letter by sending the message below.
>
>Fill out (or update) your personal information, then review the 
>letter below. We encourage you to re-write it in your own words, 
>especially the first paragraph.
>
>Your Name: --SELECT-- Ms. Miss Mrs. Mr. Dr. (female*) Dr. (male*)
>First:		Last:
>*Congress members require sender's title and gender.
>
>Address:    City:   State:   <http://www.usps.com/zip4/>ZIP+4: -  USA
>A USA address is needed to select the Congressmember to receive your letter.
>
>Email:  Phone: () -
>
>Email must be in valid email format (aaa.ccc). Some Congressmembers 
>ask for your phone number.
>
>
>Subject (please enter): 
>
>Dear Rep. [name will be inserted automatically]:
>
>
>
>Whether in the United States or Iraq, workers are entitled to basic 
>rights to collectively organize and bargain in labor organizations 
>of their own choosing.  These rights are recognized and enshrined in 
>the Conventions of the International Labor Organization of the 
>United Nations. 
>
>The U.S. government has argued that its (illegal) invasion of Iraq 
>was intended to bring democracy to that embattled nation and its 
>long suffering people.  It is widely recognized that one of the 
>pillars of a truly democratic society is a free labor movement.
>
>Yet shockingly, the U.S.-run Coalition Authority which now rules 
>Iraq has continued to enforce the patently undemocratic Saddam 
>Hussein's 1987 law banning unions and collective bargaining in the 
>public sector and public enterprises, where a majority of all Iraqi 
>workers are employed.
>
>I urge you to cosign the letter to Paul Bremer and Donald Rumsfeld 
>being circulated by your colleagues demanding an accounting from the 
>government on respect for workers' rights in Iraq.  It calls upon 
>them to fully respect Iraqi worker rights under ILO conventions.  It 
>also calls upon the Coalition Authority to provide income - wages or 
>unemployment benefits - sufficient to enable Iraqi workers to 
>support their families.
>
>No democracy will take root in Iraq until labor rights there are 
>fully respected.
>
>
>
>
>////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
>U.S. Labor Against War (USLAW)
>USLAW is a network of unions and other labor organizations
>opposed to U.S. foreign policy of unilateralism and preemptive 
>military aggression,
>and the consequent erosion of economic and job security, essential 
>social services and government programs,
>and increased militarism, xenophobia, discrimination and threat to 
>Constitutional rights, liberty and democracy they generate.
>\\\\\\\\////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
>www.uslaboragainstwar.org
>info at uslaboragainstwar.org
>{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
>P.O. Box 153
>1718 "M" Street, NW
>Washington, D.C. 20036
>{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
>
>Bob Muehlenkamp and Gene Bruskin, Co-convenors
>  Amy Newell, National Organizer
>  Michael Eisenscher, Organizer & Web Coordinator
>  Erin McGrath, Administrative Staff

-- 
  align="left">

Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801, USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax. 217-333-2214
e-mail. akagan at uiuc.edu
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