THE UNITED STATES AND IRAQI TRADE UNIONISM

Early day motion 556, tabled 4 February 2004 by Harry Barnes (Labour). Signed by 34 members.

That this House notes that in his 2004 State of the Union address President Bush declared his intention to double the budget of the National Endowment for Democracy, and to focus its new work on the development of free elections, and free markets, free press, and free labour unions in the Middle East; notes with regret, however, the raid by US occupation forces in the Baghdad headquarters of the free trade union movement in Iraq, and that the offices are still closed whilst trade union assets are still frozen; and calls upon the US Administration to initiate a full inquiry into the circumstances of the original raid on 6th December 2003, to explain its actions, to issue an apology, to offer compensation and to make it its policy fully to recognise the positive role of secular trade unions whilst it remains an occupying power.

Signatures by party: Labour 24, Liberal Democrat 6, Plaid Cymru 2, Labour/Co-operative 1, Scottish National Party 1.