randomWalks

What we do know is this: There are a lot of angry Iraqis. There are at least 40 different resistance groups. Their politics run the gamut. But they are united by one idea: They really, really want the U.S. troops out. Now. On the Left, particularly, the idea that Iraq will fall into "chaos" if we leave is hindering the development of a strong anti-occupation movement within the U.S. Continued calls for more humanitarian occupution or a U.N.-led occupation have meant that groups that mobilized for big protests before the war are not sure about building demonstrations now. But I believe firmly that the occupation is the cause of chaos, not something that's preventing anything. There may well be Saddam loyalists or al Qaeda forces running around in Iraq responsible for parts of the more than 20 attacks a day on U.S. soldiers. There are Islamic fundamentalist groups. But there are a whole lot of other currents that we're not hearing anything about. Take, for example, the burgeoning Iraqi labor movement, which the mainstream media has ignored entirely. A contingent of U.S. labor activists from U.S. Labor Against War recently went over to Iraq and met with Iraqi workers and brought back some startling reports. I think the U.S.'s reaction to the little organizing that has happened speaks volumes about our government's commitment to "democracy."

When it comes to unions, though, the occupation authorities "found a law passed by Saddam Hussein that they like," (David) Bacon said, "a law passed in 1987 where anyone working for a state enterprise is considered a civil servant." That means that workers in Iraq’s oil industry, for example, are legally forbidden from organizing a union--under a Saddam-era law that U.S. officials refuse to reconsider. "And to back it up," said Bacon, "in June, Bremer issued another regulation about ‘prohibited activity.’ Item B under prohibited activities is encouraging anybody to organize any kind of strike or disruption in a factory or any kind of economically important enterprise. And the punishment for this is being arrested by the occupation authority and being treated as a prisoner of war." As (ILWU's) Clarence Thomas put it, "The Bush administration is creating this fictionalized picture that goes like this: If we pull out, there’s going to be Islamic fundamentalism, ethnic strife and all kinds of chaos. And what they really are afraid of is democracy. They don’t want to see Iraqi workers organize and have power--have union rights."

This is from "Rise of Iraq's New Labor Movement" with the quotes coming from a public meeting that the U.S. activists held upon returning from Iraq. Is this the chaos that so many people are afraid of in Iraq if the U.S. leaves? Workers organizing themselves? Hell, we could use more of that here. And then there's this:

In a recent report, Ewa Jasiewicz described the struggle of workers at a brick factory that is part of a major industrial complex 30 miles east of Baghdad. After enduring terrible conditions--and a wage of 3,000 dinars a day, the equivalent of $1.50, for a 14-hour shift--three quarters of the workforce walked off the job in October. They marched on the management’s office and demanded a wage increase, a formal contract, on-site medical facilities and retirement payments. "The owner had no idea that a union had been formed and told them, ‘Fine, strike go, I will dismiss you, others will come to take your place,’" Jasiewicz wrote. "The workers responded by going to their homes, bringing out their guns and spontaneously forming an armed picket line. "Manned with machine guns and Kalishnikovs, workers guarded the factory and defended their strike from demolition by scab labor. The owner, overpowered, ended up granting the workers a raise of 500 dinars--25 cents--and agreed to enter into negotiations regarding social and health benefits. The strike was regarded all around as a massive success."

There's more out there, if you hunt for it. David Bacon spoke with Democracy Now! about the developments. He also wrote an article for Counterpunch in late August and has a piece in the works for The Progressive. Jasiewicz also has several articles published online. One piece chronicles a protest by the Union of the Unemployed in Iraq and is available at Occupation Watch right here. And here's the full story (which I recommend highly) about the armed workers winning their wage increase. Hell, the labor movement in the U.S. could use a healthy dose of this kind of fight back.