Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq!
On February 24, protest Halliburton, Bechtel, and the other corporations that are making millions in Iraq, and speak out for Iraqi workers\' rights and self-determination.
WHAT: International day of protest to end the corporate invasion of Iraq and support Iraqi workers\' rights
WHEN: Tuesday, February 24
WHERE: In your city, at the offices of Halliburton, Bechtel, or another war profiteering company (see list of actions below, or organize one yourself!)
Following on the heels of the military invasion of Iraq, another invasion began: a corporate invasion by Halliburton, Bechtel, and other U.S. companies that were awarded millions in \"reconstruction\" contracts. Nine months into the occupation, Iraqi schools are still in disrepair, electricity is intermittent, and the water is not safe to drink.
Qualified Iraqi businesses say they are shut out of the reconstruction of their own country and some 70% of Iraqi workers are unemployed. But the contracts for U.S. companies -- especially ones with close ties to the Bush administration - keep getting fatter, even as Halliburton is suspected of overcharging the U.S. up to $61 million for fuel in Iraq, and the Pentagon
has accused Bechtel with doing \"horrible\" work.
At the same time, the occupation administration has essentially put Iraq up for sale. In September, the Coalition Provisional Authority issued an \"order\" that allows for the privatization of Iraqi state companies, 100% ownership of Iraqi banks, mines and factories by foreign companies, and 100% expropriation of profits by foreign firms operating in Iraq. While the U.S. saw fit to approve these drastic changes to Iraqi economic laws, which very well may violate international law, it chose not to make any changes to
Iraqi labor laws. In a period in which Iraqi workers are organizing
throughout the country, the CPA left in place a Saddam Hussein-era law that forbids workers in state-owned enterprises (where the majority of Iraqis work) from forming unions. They have also repeatedly detained or harassed workers who are demonstrating for jobs or better pay.
TAKE ACTION - ORGANIZE A FEB. 24 PROTEST AT THE LOCAL OFFICE OF HALLIBURTON, BECHTEL, OR ANOTHER WAR PROFITEERING COMPANY
Please join the international day of action against the corporate invasion of Iraq by participating in or organizing a Feb. 24 rally at Halliburton, Bechtel, MCI or another war profiteering company that has offices in your city. If these companies don\'t have an office in your city, protest in front of the federal building or at another well-trafficked downtown location. For a list of U.S. companies that have reconstruction contracts and their local offices, email
peace@globalexchange.org or call 415-575-5555.
The protests don\'t have to be big - even a few people holding up signs in front of a Halliburton local office would be great! Ideas for slogans include: Bring Halliburton and Bechtel Home, Stop the Corporate Invasion of Iraq, Support Iraqi Workers\' Rights, Iraq is not America\'s to Sell, Iraq for the Iraqis, Privatization is not Liberation, No Blood for Corporate Profits, US Corporations get Freedom-Iraqi Workers Get Saddam\'s laws, etc.
Tell us about your planned protest so we can publicize it as part of the national day of action. Email
peace@globalexchange.orgor call Global Exchange at 415-575-5555. To find out what\'s already planned, see www.unitedforpeace.org
Sponsored by Campaign to Stop the War Profiteers (Institute for Southern Studies), Citizen Works, CodePink, Democracy Rising, Direct Action to Stop the War, EPIC (Education for Peace in Iraq Center), Global Exchange, National Network to End the War Against Iraq, National Youth and Student Peace Coalition, United for Peace and Justice, US Labor Against War, War Resisters League, WILPF (Women\'s International League for Peace and
Freedom), and others.
PRELIMINARY LIST OF FEB. 24 ACTIONS
Anchorage
4:30 PM Protest at Halliburton Offices, 6900 Arctic Blvd.
Sponsored by Alaskans for Peace and Justice and Alaska Action Center
Contact: Kate,
justice@aks4peace.org
Boston
Protest at Parsons Corporation, 100 Summer Street, Time TBA
Sponsors: Massachusetts Peace Action, United for Justice with Peace
Contact:
shelagh@masspeaceaction.org
Cape Coral, Florida
Protest details TBA. Contact us to help with the organizing!
Sponsor: Collier County Anti-War Coalition
Conact: Ian Harvey, mmediamaniac@yahoo.com, (239) 595-1359
Charlotte
Protest details TBA. Contact us to help with the organizing!
Sponsor: Charlotte Fellowship of Reconciliation
Contact: David Dixon,
carolinasfor@yahoo.com
Chicago
An informational picketline is being organized outside the corporate offices of a major anti-union corporation currently reaping big profits in Iraq at U.S. taxpayer expense. Details TBA.
Sponsor: Chicago Labor for Peace, Prosperity and Justice
Contact:
CLPPJ@aol.com
Kansas City
4:30-5:30 Informational Picket At Black & Veatch, 8400 Ward Parkway
This engineering company has a contract to do work for the Army Corps of Engineers in Iraq.
6:30-8:30 Labor Teach-In at UMKC Administrative Center - Brookside Room, 5115 Oak
Presentations and discussion about the impact of the corporate invasion of Iraq on workers in both countries.
Sponsor: Kansas City Labor Against the War, http://kclabor.org/kcuslaw.htm
Others welcome to endorse and participate
Los Angeles
Protest details TBA. Contact CodePink to help with the organizing!
Contact: CodePink: Women for Peace, 202-393-5016, (310) 827-3046,
Claire@codepinkalert.org
New York City
12 Noon - 2 PM
Protest at Bechtel offices, 21 East 40th Street, Manhattan
Sponsors: CodePink: Women for Peace, War Resisters League
Contact: Nancy,
codepinknyc@hotmail.com
Providence, RI
Protest details TBA. Contact us to help with the organizing!
Contact: Andrew Sawtelle,
andrewsawtelle@riseup.net
Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill
4 PM, Protest at RTI (Research Triangle Institute) HQ
3040 Cornwallis Road, Research Triangle Park, NC
Sponsor: Student Peace Action Network
Contact: Dante Strobino,
imastringbean@hotmail.com
San Francisco
Noon, Protest at Bechtel Corporate HQ
50 Beale Street (near Market), San Francisco
Join us for a lively, legal, nonviolent action against war profiteering and in support of labor rights for Iraqis.
Sponsors: AFSC, American Muslim Voice, CodePink, CorpWatch, Direct Action to Stop the War, Global Exchange, Global Women\'s Strike, Ronald Reagan Home for the Criminally Insane, United for Peace and Justice, US Labor Against War, and others.
Contact:
sideshowjeff@hotmail.com or (415) 575-5552.
Washington, DC
Protest details TBA. Contact CodePink to help with the organizing!
Contact: Gael, CodePink: Women for Peace, 202-393-5016,
gael@codepinkalert.org
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