[stop-imf] Iraq Unions on World Bank & IMF

[Robert Weissman]

Iraq Unions on World Bank & IMF

A Joint Statement Concerning the Programs of the World
Bank and International Monetary Fund in Iraq

by Iraqi Trade Unions

January 17, 2006

http://www.zmag.org/content/print_article.cfm?itemID=3D9544&sectionID=3D15
ZNet
January 18, 2006

The Iraqi economy has been severely affected by decades
of sanctions, wars and occupation. The Iraqi trade
unions and federations believe in the capacity of the
country with all its oil and mineral resources to
provide a decent living standard for Iraqis.

The federations and unions consider that the wars and
occupation have caused a dramatic decrease in the
living and social standards of Iraqis and especially of
workers.

The federations and unions stress the importance of
complete sovereignty for Iraq over its petroleum and
natural resources so as to develop them in a way that
assures a complete reconstruction of the country. We
wish to stress the following points in regard to the
policies of the IMF and World Bank in Iraq:

1. Increasing transparency and additional
representation for Iraq in the decision-making
structures of the IFIs.

2. To stop imposing structural adjustment conditions
for loans.

3. Agreeing to provide funding for public services and
state-owned enterprises without demanding their
privatization.

4. Canceling debts owed by Iraq that have resulted from
the policies of the former regime.

5. Rejecting the reduction of spending on social
services especially the elimination of government
support for the food distribution system or the
reduction of the number of items covered.

6. Strongly rejecting the privatization of publicly
owned entities and especially of the oil, education,
health, electricity, transportation and construction
sectors.

7. Rejecting the increase in the price of petroleum
products, considering the negative impact of the
increase on the living standards of Iraqis.

8. Adopting a new labor law and a pension and social
security law that assure workers' rights and are in
conformity with international labor standards and human
rights conventions. The World Bank and the IMF must
also respect these standards .

The unions and federations that have signed this
statement announce the formation of a permanent
coordinating committee that will make its positions
known to the Iraqi Government and to the IFIs. They
also demand that the IFIs engage in dialogue,
discussion and negotiations with the trade union
federations regarding their policies in Iraq.

Finally, they request the assistance of international
trade union organizations to provide all possible
support to the above-mentioned demands.

(Signed)

General Federation of Iraqi Workers     =B7
Oil Unions Federation in Iraq / Basra
Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq
Kurdistan General Workers Syndicate Union / Erbil
Iraqi Kurdistan Workers Syndicate Union

Amman, 16 January 2006