Basra and Nassiriyah Pipeline Workers End Strike

August 29th 2006

Oil workers on strike in Iraq win a pay increase and profit-sharing.

Following a walkout by 700 workers from the General Company for Oil Lines and Pipes in Basra and Nassiriya last Tuesday August 22nd August, the GUOE confirmed that the strikers won their demands.

The demands were:

1. Wages must be paid in due time.
2. Overtime work must be paid
3. Increase workers' allowances
4. Provide ambulances at working places to transfer sick workers to hospital when needed.

The strike cut off all internal imports of oil from the south to central Iraq.

"We received a document from the ministry of oil. It is a document to increase our salaries and to pay us (a) share in seasonal profits," Hassan Jumaa al-Asadi said.

Tuesday's action did not have any impact on oil exports, oil ministry and union officials had said.Asadi said the oil minister had agreed to meet with a union delegation in the next 48 hours.But he warned that the workers would go back on strike on Sunday if remaining grievances about management practices were not resolved.

Further news, pending translation from Arabic to English tba