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Win for port workers’ union rights as Iraqi government backs down
3 June 2006
An Iraqi port union has won a victory for union rights, after the government relented on a decision to continue its suppression of the union.
A number of anti-union tactics were launched against the ITF-affiliated Port Workers’ Union, based in Khour Al-Zubeir Port, after it complained about poor working conditions in March. These included the closure of its offices, the withholding of board members’ salaries and the transfer of their jobs some 550 kilometres away.
However, at the end of May, the union reported that the situation was improving. Zaki Zabbari, General Secretary of the union commented: "The order of transferring the board members of the union has been cancelled, and salaries were received. We are now back in our departments and are negotiating on the reopening of the union's offices and its committees."
He also thanked the ITF for its support; on 27 April ITF General Secretary David Cockroft wrote to Salam Al-Maleky, Iraqi Minister for Transport, stating that if the unjust treatment was not remedied, the ITF would take the matter to the International Labour Organization.
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