International Appeal - Withdraw All Foreign Occupation Troops From Iraq!

International Appeal Promoted Internationally by: * US
Labor Against the War (USLAW) * the International
Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU) * the
International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
(ILC)

WITHDRAW ALL FOREIGN OCCUPATION TROOPS FROM IRAQ! PEACE
AND SOVEREIGNTY FOR IRAQ!

We, the undersigned trade unionists and labor activists
from around the world, applaud the decision by the new
Spanish government to withdraw its troops from Iraq. We
call on all governments with occupation forces in Iraq
,*especially the U.S. government*, to take similar
action.

Indeed, the situation facing the Iraqi people is
alarming: The number of Iraqi deaths — particularly
civilians, women and children — increases by the day,
with untold human suffering. The torture of prisoners
by the U.S. occupation forces is heinous and has
stirred public outrage the world over. Hunger is
widespread, resulting from the destruction of the
country’s infrastructure under the occupation.

Iraq’s sovereignty has been trampled upon. There is a
complete absence of democratic rights, including the
right of workers to form trade unions of their choice,
as stipulated by the Conventions of the International
Labor Organization (ILO).

As trade unionists and labor activists, we believe that
the labor movement worldwide must speak out in one
voice to demand an end to this horrific situation: The
occupation of Iraq must end. The Iraqi people and
nation must be able to regain their rights, freedoms
and sovereignty — as well as the full control over
their resources, wealth, and economic, social and
political destiny.

On April 18, the Spanish government — which was
elected by an important margin in the election of March
14 — decided in a free and sovereign manner to
withdraw its troops from Iraq. Newly elected Prime
Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero declared the day
following this action that "the decision to send troops
to Iraq and to support the war on Iraq has led to the
destruction of a country and has only generated more
insecurity and instability."

On May 2, Zapatero stated: "The invasion and occupation
of Iraq has been a disaster. This should serve as a
message to the international community so that never
again will there be a ’pre-emptive war’ that violates
international law."

The working people of Spain, who mobilized by the
millions in opposition to the war and who elected a
government with a clear mandate to get out of Iraq,
welcomed with great enthusiasm the decision by the
Spanish premier to make good on his pledge and withdraw
all Spanish troops from that war-torn country.

The working people of Spain do not want war — not with
the Iraqi people nor with any other people.

People the world over share this same aspiration —
including the North American people, who have mobilized
in huge numbers to express the need for peace and
fraternal relations among peoples.

As trade unionists and labor activists who defend the
interests of all working people, we are particularly
concerned that our sons and daughters, our sisters and
brothers, our fellow workers and union members not be
placed in harm’s way in wars of aggression and
destruction. We are also mindful that in such wars, it
is innocent civilians who pay the greatest price.

That is why we affirm that nothing is more urgent today
than to wage a united struggle for the withdrawal of
all foreign occupation troops from Iraq. In this sense
we embrace the call issued May 3 by U.S. Labor Against
the War (USLAW), which states: "We call for an end now
to the U.S. occupation and for all military, political
and economic authority to be transferred to the people
of Iraq."

U.S. trade unionists involved in USLAW’s Military
Families Task Force have insisted that their sons and
daughters, their sisters and brothers, should return
home alive now — not in coffins or body bags!

That is why we address ourselves to all our governments
to demand an end to the occupation, for the withdrawal
of all foreign troops from Iraq — so that a future of
peace and democracy can be opened for the Iraqi people.

The decision by the Spanish government to remove troops
from Iraq was followed soon after by a similar decision
by the governments of Honduras and the Dominican
Republic. In many other countries the discussion about
withdrawing troops is taking place.

Clearly, this sovereign and free decision by the
Spanish government is being supported with great
enthusiasm by the workers and peoples around the world,
as well as by their organizations.

We, the undersigned trade unionists and labor
activists, issue this appeal for an end to the
occupation of Iraq. The governments with occupation
forces in Iraq must heed the will of the majority of
their people. They must allow the Iraqi people to
reclaim their freedom and their sovereignty.

Initial Signatories from the United States and Spain

(* All titles for individual endorsers are listed for
identification only.)

(FROM THE UNITED STATES)

– Communication Workers of America Local 1180 (New
York, N.Y.) - Philadelphia Central Labor Council
(AFL-CIO) - South Bay Labor for Peace & Justice
(Silicon Valley, Calif.) - United Health Care Workers
of Greater St. Louis (UHCW) - St. Louis Labor Against
the War Committee

David Bacon, labor journalist, member of International
Labor Rights Campaign Delegation to Iraq (Berkeley,
Calif.) Alan Benjamin, OPEIU Local 3 Delegate to S.F.
Labor Council; Co-coordinator, Open World Conference
Continuations Committee * Joe Berry, Chicago Coalition
of Academic Labor * Ed Bruno, Iraq Labor Rights Task
Force, USLAW (Boston, Mass) Gene Bruskin, Co-convenor,
US Labor Against the War (USLAW) Larry Duncan,
Producer, Labor Beat (Chicago, Illinois) Michael
Eisenscher, Coordinator, Bay Area Labor Committee for
Peace and Justice (S.F. Bay Area, Calif.) Chris
Kaihatsu, Labor antiwar activist (Chicago, Illinois)
Kevin Hussey, BMWE Lodges 3014 & 3068 USLAW delegate *
Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT Local 1493 (San
Mateo, Calif.) * Jim Martin, Philadelphia Central Labor
Council delegate to USLAW Amy Newell, Organizer, US
Labor Against the War (USLAW) Mike Parker, UAW Local
1700, Labor Notes * Claude Piller, Organizing Director,
AFSCME Local 3299 (San Diego, Calif.) * Nancy Romer,
PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334 (Brooklyn, New York) * Ed
Rosario, President GCIU Local 4-N; Co-coordinator, Open
World Conference Continuations Committee * Jeffrey
Segal, Vice President, Southeast Region, National
Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320
* Marsha Steinberg, Field Representative/Organizer SEIU
Local 660 (Los Angeles, Calif.) * Clarence Thomas,
Executive Board, ILWU Local 10; member of International
Campaign Delegation to Iraq (San Francisco, Calif.) *
Jerry Tucker, USLAW organizer (St. Louis, MO)

(FROM SPAIN)

Agustin Pachon Sanchez, C. Ejecutiva Federacion Estatal
Sanidad CC.OO Alberto Elosua, SEC general FES UGT
Euskadi Alfonso Porras Jara, miembro ejecutiva estatal
Federacion de Comunicacion y Transporte del Papel,
Graficas y Fotografia Angel Campabadal, sector estatal
de ahorro de FES UGT Angel Jimenez Martinez, comite
nacional de UGT de Cataluna Antonio Amaro, C. Ejecutiva
Federacion Estatal Sanidad CC.OO. Antonio Esquinas
Sanchez, miembro ejecutiva Federacion de Comunicacion y
Transporte (Madrid-Region) CCOO Araceli Ortiz Arteaga,
C. Ejecutiva Federacion Estatal Sanidad CC.OO Beatriz
Gomez Morante, secretaria seccion sindical CCOO Siemens
Blas Ortega, sindicalista UGT pais Valenciano Carmen
Chacon Roldan, Comision Ejecutiva Confederal de CC.OO.
Carmen Pedrero, Sa Gral. Federacion Sanidad Extremadura
CC.OO. Eduardo Marquina Nagore, Secretario general FIA
UGT Euskadi Enrique Sanchez Collado, secretario general
UGT Millars plana baixa palancia Felix Fernandez,
Comision ejecutiva FES UGT Fernando Ruiz Zaragoza,
economista de la federacion del metal de Madrid CCOO
Francisco Garcia Crespin, comite nacional FSP UGT de
Cataluna Francisco Hortet, Comision ejecutiva de
federacion estatal del metal de CCOO Francisco Imaz
Abad, miembro ejecutiva Federacion de Comunicacion y
Transporte (Madrid-Region) CCOO Francisco J. Cepeda,
miembro ejecutiva Federacion de Comunicacion y
Transporte (Madrid-Region) CCOO Gumersindo Benitez,
Presidente comite de empresa Bizkaibus UGT Jesus Bejar,
comision ejecutiva comarca sur de Madrid CCOO Joaquin
Juzgado Feito, miembro ejecutiva Federacion de
Comunicacion y Transporte (Madrid-Region) CCOO Joaquin
Martinez, comite nacional de Cataluna de UGT FSP Joel
Vasquez Alcantara, miembro ejecutiva Federacion de
Comunicacion y Transporte de Galicia CCOO Jose Allmela,
secretario sindicato comarcal MCA UGT millars plana
baixa palancia Jose Antonio Pozo, Comite Nacional UGT
Cataluna Jose M. Garcia Cruz, C. Ejecutiva Federacion
Estatal Sanidad CC.OO Jose Miguel Villa, secretario
general FES-UGT Madrid comite confederal UGT Juan
Manuel Canle, Comision ejecutiva de la seccion estatal
de UGT en Unicaja Juan Sanchez, Secretario general de
FES UGT Julio Novillo, secretario FSAP CCOO
Ayuntamiento de Madrid Koldo Mendez, secretario general
UPTA UGT Euskadi Luis Gonzalez, secretario general de
CCOO de sanidad de Sevilla Luis Lozano Mercadal,
secretario general FSP UGT Pais Valenciano Luis Lunar,
comision ejecutiva de la federacion estatal
agroalimentaria CCOO Luis Ma Perez, SEC general FSP UGT
margen izquierda Vizcaya Manuel Fernandez Balanza,
miembro ejecutiva Federacion de Comunicacion y
Transporte (Madrid-Region) CCOO Miguel Angel Sanchez,
secretario de organizacion de UGT-FSP Cataluna Miguel
Munoz, secretario formacion federacion estatal de
ensenanza de CCOO Pedro Marquina, secretario general
transporte UGT Euskadi Pedro San Frutos, Comision
Ejecutiva Confederal de CCOO Pilar Manjon, CE de CCOO
de Madrid (madre de uno de los fallecidos el 11M)
Rafael Aguilera, Comite federal FSP UGT Raul Sevilleja
Ramos, delgado CCOO de OTIS Roberto Tornamira,
secretario organizacion FES UGT Madrid Salce Elvira,
Comision ejecutiva confederal de CCOO Ventura Montalban
Gamez, sindicalista de CCOO Pais Valenciano

*************************

International Appeal Organizers Need Your Support!

The International Appeal to "Withdraw All Foreign
Occupation Troops From Iraq!" is being promoted
internationally by:

– US Labor Against the War (USLAW) - the International
Confederation of Arab Trade Unions (ICATU) - the
International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
(ILC)

All three of these organizations came together in
Geneva in June 2003 to launch the International
Campaign Against the Occupation and For Labor Rights in
Iraq.

The organizers of this international campaign call on
trade unionists and labor rights activists the world
over to (1) endorse this appeal, (2) make a financial
contribution to support the Iraqi Labor Solidarity Fund
launched by US Labor Against the War, which has an
initial goal of raising $10,000 to be divided between
the Iraq Federation of Trade Unions and the Federation
of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, and (3) help
fund the travel expenses of the Iraqi trade unionists
who will be attending the 11th Annual Trade Union
Meeting in Geneva in Defense of the ILO Conventions.

* Financial contributions from the United States should
be made payable to USLAW Iraqi Labor Solidarity Fund
and should be sent to USLAW, 1718 M St. NW #153,
Washington, DC 20036. You can also make a contribution
to this fund on the internet at the secure website of
USLAW at
https://secure.groundspring.org/dn/index.php?aid=1822

* Financial contributions from all other countries
should be sent to the ILC to help defray the travel and
lodging expenses of the Iraqi trade union delegation to
the June 11th meeting in Geneva in defense of the ILO
conventions. Checks should be made payable to "CMO" and
mailed to Entente, 87 rue du Faubourg St. Denis, 75010
Paris, France. Bank transfers can be sent directly to
(IBAN): FR76-3093-8000-34000-5122-7000-317 - LUBPFRPP

To endorse this appeal, and/or for more information
about the International Campaign Against the Occupation
and For Labor Rights in Iraq, please contact:

– US Labor Against the War, 1718 M Street #153, NW,
Washington DC, 20036, USA. E-mail:
info@uslaboragainstwar.org; website:
http://www.uslaboragainstwar.org

– International Confederation of Arab Trade Unions,
213, rue Bagdad, PO Box 3225, Damascus (Syria). Tel. :
(963 11) 445 95 44 - Fax : (963 11) 442 03 23. E-mail:
icatu@net.sy

– International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples, 87, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris
(France). Tel.: (33-1) 48 01 88 28. Fax: (33-1) 48 01
88 36. E-mail: eit.ilc@wanadoo.fr and
ilcinfo@earthlink.net; website, http://www.owcinfo.org