Unions back call for anti-war demo

UK unions are set to play a role in international demonstrations marking the third anniversary of the invasion of Iraq.

The call for the demonstrations on 18 and 19 March came at last month's international peace conference in London, organised by the Stop the War Coalition. Around 1,400 delegates from Iraq, Britain, America and many other countries took part.

There were delegations from several UK unions including NATFHE (college lecturers), T&G (general workers), PCS (civil servants), TSSA (white-collar transport), CWU (communication workers) and Amicus (technical and professional workers).

The conference agreed to organise demonstrations, "calling for the immediate withdrawal of troops and an end to the occupation."

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes told delegates: "We need to get union branches affiliated and involved in local anti-war groups."

The conference also heard from Hassan Jumaa, president of Iraq's Southern Oil Workers' Union. Jumaa said that among the union's major demands was that "all the occupation forces leave Iraq immediately and unconditionally and leave the Iraqi people to decide their own future and their own policies."