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4 September, 2006
Conflicting information has reached the ICEM about a recent strike in southern Iraq’s oil fields. What does seem clear is that industrial actions, including strikes, occurred at the Basra-based Southern Oil Company on 22 and 23 August. The strike action was also clearly successful and effective.
The two-day strike, which, as news agency Reuters reported, closed the main pipeline supplying Baghdad with refined products, was ended when Iraqi Oil Minister Hussein al-Shahristani agreed to issue a document assuring immediate pay raises. The Labour Ministry also committed to meet with the union to discuss all demands.
Reports quote Hassan Al-Asadi, the head of the union group representing over 700 employees from the General Company for Oil Lines and Pipes in the southern cities of Basra and Nassiriya. He said, "We received a document from the ministry of oil. It is a document to increase our salaries and to pay us (a) share in seasonal profits."
The strike action took place after both government and company had failed to respond to workers’ demands over recent months. Those demands include receiving pay in a timely fashion, making good on unpaid overtime worked, compensating for unused annual leave, compensation to workers for their profit-sharing incentives, raising minimum salaries, creating equal opportunity for advancement of all workers, and converting contract workers into full-time, permanent staff.
Workers and unions of the various divisions of Southern Oil are said to be poised for further industrial actions if these and other demands are not met.