The World Federation of Trade Unions, which represents more than 92 million members in 126 countries all over the world, firmly supports the workers of Iraq, who are opposing the new law on social security approved on 1st of August 2017 by the Iraqi cabinet.

This law does not meet the international labor standards which protect the rights and needs of workers and retirees and appears to have been based on suggestions of the World Bank to the Iraqi government, pressuring the government to pass it as a pre-condition so that Iraq can receive new loans.

According to the Conference of Iraqi Federations and Workers Unions [CIFWU] the new law integrates the Pension and Social Security Fund with the National Pension Fund, raises the retirement age of workers from 63 to 65 in all work sectors, does not allow retired workers to access the privileges approved by Law No. 39 of 1971 and includes other negative regulations that seriously affect the lives of Iraqi workers.

As class oriented world trade union movement, we are joining our voice with the workers of Iraq and their Trade Union Federations, demanding the withdrawal of the draft law and we are calling them to continue their struggle for dignified work with social security rights.

The Secretariat