The Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) urges their Iraqi members to register and vote

 The Australian Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union (LHMU) has been running a campaign drive to get Iraqi LHMU members to register and vote in the Iraqi election.

Remember the life of Hadi Saleh - vote in the Iraqi elections

17 January 2005

Iraqi’s living in Australia, who are members of the LHMU, are urged to register and vote in the upcoming Iraqi elections - the LHMU National President, Helen Creed, said today.

Hadi Saleh: Trade union official tortured and murdered Hadi Saleh: Trade union official tortured and murdered

Ms Creed said the elections in Iraq should help to cement the rights of workers to organise in that country

Enrolments open today in Sydney and Melbourne.

" While we would have hoped that our Iraqi union membership in other states would also have had the opportunity to take part in the election - we think those who can vote should work to ensure the voting process is as democratic as possible," Ms Creed said.

Enrolment centres:

You can find a list of Australian enrolment centres by clicking here.

" The recent brutal murder of Hadi Saleh , a top official of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions ( IFTU), demonstrates that those who oppose workers' rights are too often the same group who are now terrorising the people of Iraq," Ms Creed said.

" The building of a democratic civil society will be an important step on the road to re-building democratic trade unions in Iraq - that's why we urge our members who are eligible to vote to go and register right now.

LHMU and Iraqi invasion

" Our position is similar to the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions, like them we remain critical of the US-led invasion.

"But the IFTU advocates that union members ignore the threats from religious fanatics and the Saddamists and go out and vote in the coming election.

"In the security that Australia provides that is even more important for union members of Iraqi background. "

Condemnation of brutal murder of trade unionist

Ms Creed noted that union activists across the globe have unreservedly condemned the brutal murder of the IFTU's Hadi Saleh, at his home in Baghdad on the night of January 4.

" Hadi Saleh was tied and blindfolded and tortured before being forced to kneel and strangled by electric cord," Helen Creed said.

" Hadi was a brave patriot who stood up for workers' rights under Saddam Hussein and was a key activist in the clandestine Workers Democratic Trade Union Movement established in 1980 to keep alive an independent labour movement.

Hunted by Saddam regime

"He was hunted by the regime for his activities and forced into exile where he continued to work as a printer.

" We agree with the IFTU that Iraqi working people have lost a brave trade union leader who dedicated three decades of his life to fighting Saddam's dictatorship.

Democratic, peaceful and federal Iraq

" He fought for a democratic, peaceful and federal Iraq which would unite Iraqis regardless of their background, ethnicity or religion.

" He championed workers' rights to organise and strike to achieve decent jobs, pay and working conditions.

His cowardly murder appears to be part of a pattern of targeted assassinations and terror by Saddam loyalists."

Contact Details
Andrew Casey
Ph:  +61 2 8204 7206
Fax: +61 2 9281 4480
andrewc@lhmu.org.au