TRADE UNION RIGHTS IN IRAQ

That this House expresses its deep concern at the reaction of the Iraqi government to the strike by Iraqi oil workers which began on 4th June; notes that on 5th June the Iraqi government issued an arrest warrant for the leaders of the oil workers' unions and that the Iraqi Prime Minister said that he would deal with the strikers `with an iron fist' and that troops have been sent to oil fields; further notes that unions presented their 16 demands to the Iraqi Prime Minister on 16th May 2007, which included consultation on the oil law and improvements to wages; and therefore calls on the UK Government to use whatever leverage it can to promote trade union rights in Iraq as a basic democratic freedom.