21 January, 2025The Conference of Iraq Federations and Workers Unions (CIFWU) and the Iraqi Trade Union Council (ITUC), representing ten union federations, have rejected a proposed draft law on trade union organization for workers. The unions say that the law, which underwent its second reading in the House of Representatives on 13 January, was drafted without engaging in social dialogue and stakeholder participation.
A statement issued by the CIFWU and ITUC on 15 January, raises concerns over Iraq’s failure to align with international obligations and the undermining of workers’ fundamental rights The unions say that the law's exclusion of public sector employees from forming trade unions is discriminatory and regressive.
CIFWU and ITUC also pointed to specific violations of ILO Conventions 87 and 98, which guarantee freedom of association and collective bargaining. These concerns were corroborated by the ILO Committee of Experts during a September 2024 review in Geneva, where the draft law was criticized in the presence of key parliamentary and civil society representatives.
The unions are urging the Presidency of the Council of Representatives and the Legal Committee to withdraw the draft and to direct the Ministry of Labour to create a new, inclusive proposal. This revised legislation should be developed through social dialogue and comply with international standards, ensuring the rights and freedoms of all workers are protected.
Collective action is essential, and CIFWU and ITUC are calling on workers across all sectors to unite in defending their right to form independent trade unions, a call supported by IndustriALL.
Says Atle Høie, IndustriALL general secretary:
“Freedom of association and collective bargaining are fundamental workers’ rights. This means unequivocally that workers in Iraq should not be subjected to laws restricting them from joining the union of their choice or bargain for their working conditions. IndustriALL calls on the Iraqi government and the parliament to revise the draft law and to engage with unions in genuine dialogue to achieve a proposal respecting international workers’ rights.”
Photo: workers protesting in Basra, 2023.