A number of issues need to be emphasized. First, these leaders believe strongly that sectarian strife will ease, and that unions will be able to act with substantially more freedom when the U.S. military presence has ended.

Second, the unions believe equally strongly that Iraq’s oil is a national resource that should not be privatized, and specifically that oil privatization should not be used as any kind of “benchmark” of the Iraqi government’s success or failure. They state, and we agree, that the oil privatization law now under consideration by Iraq’s government is designed to benefit the multinational oil companies; not the Iraqi people.

Additionally, we believe several policies imposed by the U.S. occupation administration under its former head Paul Bremer and by subsequent Iraqi governments should be rescinded. These include the continuation in force of a Saddam Hussein-era law banning collective bargaining in Iraq’s public sector, an onerously low general wage schedule, and the complete sequestration of union funds by the government.

Therefore we ask that you do all you can to oppose the privatization of Iraq’s oil resources, correct the inequities present in Iraqi labor policy, and continue to support an end to the U.S. military presence in Iraq

Thank you very much for your consideration of these vitally important matters.

Sincerely,

Leo W. Gerard
International President
LWG/ctl
cc: House and Senate Leadership
USW International Executive Board