Talk by Hasan Juma'a
Southern Oil Company Union (Iraq)
08/02/05

Chair: Ewa Jasiewicz
Translator: Samir Ramadani
[Transcript from notes by Loukas and Andrew]

How was the SOC union formed?

From the start of the occupation some union activists found it was very necessary to form an oil workers' union because such a union would protect the national economy, because we knew very well that the Americans and their allies came for the oil.  And the proof for this is quite clear.  The British forces entered Basra and protected the oil installations.  [while] the entire infrastructure of Basra was left to be burned or destroyed or looted.  All this destruction happened under the watchful eyes of the British occupation forces while the oil installations remained intact and under their protection.  [we felt it to be our duty to found the union]  so that we protect this national asset which belongs to all Iraqis. 

We established a 9-member committee on 20th April [2003] to protect production and liaise with the [new] administration and this [was under conditions of] under extreme chaos.  We completed union work in the southern oil sector then refocused on companies working in Basra [there are 10 there].

Conflict with the US administation

[Then] we started the second fight against US occupation.  ... The Bremer decrees banned trade unions and associations in order to protect US interests.  We were surprised that it was anticipated that living standards of workers would increase.  A table of wages was issued by Paul Bremer.  This table has [had] 11 steps.  The oil workers salary is [was] named at 96 dinars a month... equivalent to $35.  This is strange for a country with the second largest oil reserves in the world to give 35 dollars a month to oil workers while workers broight from Asia get 20fold this sum.  We tried in the oil union to object to this decision..[they] refused to listen to us so we staged the 10th August strike.  We stopped oil exports for 3 days.  This date is an honour for Iraqis.  That forced US and the finance ministry to cancel 2 of the scales in the wage table, so starting from scale 9... as the minimum wage for a worker [with no education] and whose service is from 1 year to 3 years.

This is easy to talk about but in practice was extremely difficult because the Ministry of Finance was completely controlled by coalition forces especially the Americans and the finance ministry [which was] in charge of workers' wages.  Today we met with MPs.  They confirmed to me that they had informed Tony Blair of this strike and I was pleased news of this had reached Britain.  We still think the wage level is below what [workers should get].   

Enter KBR – Corporate vultures

We were surprised to find Kellogg, Brown and Roote (KBR) led by [US Vice-President] Cheney [KBR is part of Halliburton] is present in the oil installations, particularly pumping stations.  We think it's important KBR gets out becuase we think (and it's US strategy) military occupation will be followed by economic occupation.  [they have the] intention to privatise the oil sector and we think the US has the dominant position.  

There are 2 aspects here: 1) experts here in Britain confirm this analysis 2) I have today read documents relating to Allawi's proposals for privatisation of the oil sector.  Aya Allawi has informed the oil council that decisions should be kept secret and should not be proposed to the current (appointed) national assembly so it does not get objected to.  KBR has a big role now because the main pumping stations were controlled by the US but not all.   

Al-Khurafi (Kuwaiti) and Meer (Indian) are two companies brought in by KPR, who then brought in 1,200 Asian workers, who were then protected by US forces.  After negotiation with Khuraf 1,000 Iraqi workers were brought in and 1,000 Asians sent home.  Pressure on KPR forced them to give work to Iraqis, but within a few days KPR made needed items (like eye-glasses) very hard to get hold of.

Rebuilding Iraq from the grassroots

The US plan was for no oil to be exported until four years after the occupation, but Iraqi workers have managed to bring the stations on-line within four months to raise money for humanitarian ends; 900,000 barrels sent on a Swedish tanker.  The US has therefore revised its policy towards oil.  HJ has had four meetings with the SOC head, but they showed no desire to help Iraqis and wanted to obstruct reconstruction.

Employees' rights continue to be violated.  The US, via Paul Bremner, etc obstructs the work of the Iraqi national oil companies.  The Oil Ministry's role is to aid the two companies involved in oil prospecting and transportation, since the South region is intended to be a flagship for beginning oil exports.  However these companies' activities have been frozen and hence sabotaged by the USA. 

Let me make it very clear: the SOCU is opposed to privatisation.  The reasons are clear.  The servants of the former regime took much money with them.  If the oil institutions are sold, these people will be the buyers.  

To conclude: we know you have stood by us and we stand by you.

Question and Answer session

Q: In the recent Iraqi elections, did any political party stand on an anti-privatisation platform?

A: None have; all should.  Oil is the only remaining national resource; all infrastructure has been destroyed (agriculture, etc).

Q: How do you see the future of Iraq after two years of violence?  Will the situation continue?

A: Firstly let me make it clear that I am neither for or against the elections.  From the start of the occupation to today we still have the same laws as the old regime.  Hopefully a new government, though not fully legitimate, will take us from one condition to another.  The new government does not have a magic wand to stop the violence.  However, there there will be some change and we hope the new government will provide protection for the citizens.  There is a confusion between the resistance and those whose actions, such as suicide bombings, hurt Iraqis more than the hurt the Americans.  We know of the recent broadcast in which Bin Laden appointed Zarkawi the 'Prince of Iraq'; these people and their agents do not want to see a stable Iraq.

Q: Even if the oil industry is not privatised, the profits can still be used to service Iraq' debt.  Is the Trade union movement strong enough to resist privatisation?

A: There are various meanings of 'privatisation'.  What is under the ground cannot be privatised, but the US does not recognise this -- they may give concessions to extract oil to US companies.  HJ met with representatives of political parties before the election; they all stated their opposition to privatisation -- only god knows what they will do when they get into power!  As trade unionists live in the situation themselves we shall -- with god willing -- stop privatisation, even if we must give blood in the process.

Q:  You said that workers were brought in from outside.  Was there any attempt to organise with these Asian workers, in order to resist the bosses at an international level?

A: When Khurafi came to Iraq they renamed themselves 'Iraq National Company', but they were never an Iraqi company (not registered with the Ministry of Planning).  In Basra and the surrounding area unemployment is very high.  The Asian workers were in a special situation, under strict control and unable to organise.  Maybe the mechanical workers could affect their situation, but in general not.  This is a new situation, previous laws have not allowed workers to be brought in except high-level experts.  The Khurafi employees also left for security reasona -- a manager and [doctor?] were assassinated.

Q:  What kind of links do you have with other Iraqi workers?

A:  The aim is for one oil union.  We are currently the biggest, in terms of numbers and in terms of production.  We have links with workers in Nasarea, Kirkuk [and many other areas I did not get].

Q: How much agreement is there between the Iraqi unions on, for example, the question of independence from the state.

A:  Let me be frank.  There are three trade union federations in Iraq.  
The first is officially recognised by the state and therefore illegitimate by international rules [ILO regulations?].  This is the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU).  It is formed by the principle of coalition -- 5 representatives from Alawi's party, 5 from the Communist Party, 5 from the Arab Socialist Movement.  Rasim Alawadi is the president -- he is a deputy for Alawi's party.
The second claims to be independent and has representatives from the Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution and the Dawa party [both major Shi'a religious parties].
The third is led by Falah Awan and the Worker-Communist Party owns it.
Therefore the SOC union wants to remain independent and get to the beach of safety.  For 35 years we have lived under one-party rule and these were the political groups that organised.  Old labels should be left outside the union, we should serve the union independent of party politics.  Unfortunately this approach is not followed.  HJ knows and deals with individuals from all parties.  The Arab Labour organisation invites delegates from all three federations.  We are co-ordinating on common purposes -- to gain workers' rights and to plan how to expel the occupation.

Q:  Ba'athist trade unions were part of the state.  Are their old leadership still around/are they organising?

A:  At the last Arab Labour meeting in Aman [Jordan] with representatives from the three federations, HJ did not go himself but sent the General Secretary of the SOC union.  He reported that three men and a woman came to the meeting, people who had been part of the Saddam Hussein regime, and they claimed that they also were  'representing workers'.  The Arab Labour [league?] leader is an Algerian, and the Arab Labour league's headquarters is in Damascus.  He tried to expel the Ba'athists from the meeting, asking them 'Do you want to have your cake and eat it?'  These people change their colour according to circumstances.  If the water is blue, they go blue.  IF the water is green, they go green.

Q:  If the trade unions are independent from politics, do they still have an impact on the process.  For example I have heard about a strike that was organised during the US attack on Najaf.

A:  Our work ranges from Shipping in Basra to operations north of Baghdad, and it was the workers at the BS3 plant within the Najaf area who stopped work.  Trade unions are also represented on the Oil Council within the Ministry of Oil.  This council has sole responsibility for increasing and decrasing oil production within the Cabinet.  As a union, we have the power and the muscle to make the government listen by halting work.

Q:  Your region is occupied mainly by British forces.  Have British forces intervened in favour of the private companies?  And what actions are legitimate for trade unions in order to end the occupation?

A:  (In fact the are of the SOC union is also occupied by US and Danish forces).  There was a strike by Khurafi welders (traditionally highly paid) who had not got their wages.  Neil, an American who is head of Khurafi, told them that if they did not go back to work US forces would be used to break the strike.  During another Khurafi strike tanks came and put themselves between the company management and strikers.  These incidents are not reported due to the Occupation's clamp-down.  With regard to trade unions acting against the occupation, HJ says all forces that want and end to the occupation must unite.  Trade unions are like any other who wants an end to the occupation -- by all available means.  We back all Iraqis, because we want to be inside the arena of struggle, we do not want to be outside.  We represent 50% of industrial workers; 23,000 in the Southern oil sector alone.  Port workers, rail workers, engineers and health workers need to unite.

Q:  What is the current level of oil production, and what levels are possible in the future?

A:  Once levels were very high, but with no gains for the Iraqi people; 4,530,000 barrels per day at $36 per barrel.  This adds up to enough money to build a very advanced society, but unfortunately this was used to prop up the failing military-industrial complex.  
Right now 1.8 million barrels are being exported -- 2.5 would be possible, as some is used domestically.  Since we eliminated the two bottom grades of the wage scale the relative economic situation has improved -- not enough, but it has improved.  Sanctions once caused workers to sell all their possessions.  If it was 800 dinars for a kilo of flour, then a teacher's salary would buy five kilos.  I think Saddam had an inner hatred towards educated people.  He said once that someone with a PhD, if they were jobless they should go and sell cigarettes in the market!

Q: I heard that the SOC union was once within the IFTU -- what happened? And also, can trade unions help the unemployed? 

A: We were never part of the IFTU, because we questioned their legitimacy. Abdullah Masen [UK representative of the IFTU] often tells people here that we are part of the IFTU. I say now, let him know that I have been nominated to the board of co-ordination between Iraqi and Iranian oil trade unions by the Arab Labour league. So how can we be affiliated to the IFTU if the AL deals with us separately. In fact I have a document issued to the AL by the president of the IFTU decalring that the IFTU will dissolve itself after the election of a new Iraqi government. I can send you a copy of this document through Munir [an Iraqi member of Iraq Occupation Focus]. On the other question, we do not organise with the unemployed but we try to find them work! Now my frankness in answering such questions often puts me in trouble in Iraq, -- the unemployed union belongs to the Worker-Communist Party and I do not wish to tread on them. 

Q: Are there any Asian workers still in Iraq? And the oil exporting that is currently happening, how big a part does smuggling play in this? 

A: The US forces and the terrorists work to keep foreigners out of Iraq to sabotage the economy. Therefore there are none in Iraq due to security. 

The oil that is smuggled – this is processed oil products; paraffin and petrol. The US cannot stop it because it has a clear outlet through the southern port. 

Q: Who organises the smuggling? 

A: There are more mafia in Iraq than in Italy! It is not a threat to the USA so they do not stop it. When suicide bombers tried to blow up the export area itself the US forces acted very fast to occupy it. 

Ewa Jasiewicz finished the meeting with a few words: 
Our responsibility is to bolster the SOC trade union struggle. They are under threat of death; they have said that privatisation will happen over their dead bodies – and I worry that this will be the case! ERINYS are the company that control the security of the Southern Oil Company, and they have killed in the past, killed in South Africa [and other places I didn't get down]. They have offices in London and we can target them if they hurt Iraqi trade unionists. 

Initially the trade unionists' struggle has been to raise their own living standards – however this path will soon bring them into a collision with the nature of the occupation itself.