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Iraq's energy ministry is using a Saddam-era decree to crack down on trade unions and stifle dissent against foreign exploitation of the country's vast oil reserves, says the nation's oil workers' union.
The union's leader, Hassan Juma'a, has been at the forefront of a public campaign against the signing of a new oil law - demanded by the United States - that would lead to long-term profit-sharing contracts being signed with multinational oil giants.
But Iraq's oil minister, Hussein Shahrastani, has banned unions from participating in any official discussions about the new law, "since these unions have no legal status to work within the state sector".
Juma'a said the minister's approach echoed an infamous law passed by Saddam Hussein in 1987 suppressing trades unions. He said his members would not recognise the directive because "we are working for Iraq".
Iraq's new constitution, passed in 2005, enshrines "the right of forming and joining professional associations and unions", and promises that "this will be organised by law".
But since no such legislation has been passed, campaigners say the oil ministry is simply reverting to Saddam-era laws that banned unions.
"This means the union has lost any negotiating rights as regards their terms and conditions, as well as in regard to discussions of the oil law," said Sami Ramadani of Naftana, the British-based support committee for the union.
"The union is definitely defying this, and it has the support of the workers: that's its strength."
The Iraqi Parliament recently went into summer recess without passing the oil law, despite pressure from Britain and the US.
The coalition powers say Iraq needs the help of multinationals to bring fresh investment and modern expertise to the oil industry, which was starved of cash during the years of UN sanctions against Iraq.
But most Gulf states have kept their oil companies in state hands and brought in overseas investors only as contractors.
Juma'a and his colleagues say that with the second-largest reserves in the world, Iraq could borrow on international financial markets to pay for the upgrades itself.
The oil law is also meant to settle the issue of how oil revenue will be divided between Iraq's regions, but details have not been hammered out.
Shahrastani's ban is only the latest move against the union. This year, arrest warrants were issued for its leaders after they threatened to strike.
Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund says Iraq has taken steps to strengthen its economy but there will be no real progress until its dire security situation had improved.
"The expansion of oil production is lagging and inflation remains high, reflecting in large part shortages associated with the security situation, notably of fuel products," the IMF said.
"A turnaround hinges critically on an improvement in the security situation," it said.
- Observer, Reuters
