A statement from the General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (GFWCUI), Oct. 27:

In Basra Thousands of Workers Take to the Street Against the Government Anti-Workers Policy
In a coordination effort with the Labor Unifying Bureau, thousands of workers from various industrial sectors took to the streets of Basra on October 27, 2008 marching towards the municipal building where the officials offices to denounce the ministry of Finance decrees that resulted in massive cut backs in workers salaries.

The workers came from steel, petrochemicals, paper and other plants in Basra who were headed by Hassan Juma, head of Labor Unifying Bureau and Oil workers and Abuwatan, vice president of Labor unifying Bureau and GFWCUI in Basra.

It is noteworthy, these demonstrations have intensified recently in many industrial sectors across Iraq but the local and international media did not cover these events.

Amjad Al-Jawhary

General Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq

See our last posts on Iraq's civil resistance.

Basra workers march against austerity