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31 May, 2010
A historic event took place early this month in the northern Iraq region of Kurdistan: the region’s two labour federations, traditional tied to Kurdistan’s two political parties, merged, creating a single voice for workers in northern Iraq.
The new federation is called the Kurdistan United Workers’ Union, and consolidates the Kurdistan Workers’ Union and the General Workers and Crafts Syndicate Union. The merger was first reported ten days ago on the website of UK’s Trades Union Council (TUC). Hangam Abdullah Khan and Yassin Aziz Ali are to serve as co-Presidents.
“When we were two federations, we spoke with two voices,” stated Hangam Abdullah Khan. “Now it is working people who will benefit from us having one voice.”
Added Yassin Aziz Ali, “With this new union, we have high hopes. We hope to have an increasing membership, women in leadership positions in the union, and more campaigning power, especially on our top priority – new progressive labour laws in the Kurdistan region and across federal Iraq, and on social security, too.”
The new trade union federation, according to the TUC site, is 95% merged and is in a one-year transitional state. Despite that, it already has a President for Women – Nazanin Tariq Ali.
The ICEM congratulates the leaders of the former union federations for coming together in the best interests of not just Kurdish workers, but for setting an example throughout Iraq.