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| Iraq-Jordan | |
| Filipino workers in US camps go on strike in Iraq | |
| 2005-05-28 | |
| MANILA - Some 300 Filipinos employed at a US military camp in Iraq went on strike this week to protest poor working conditions, the foreign ministry said on Friday. The workers, under contract from Prime Projects International and Kellog Brown and Root, are based in Camp Cooke in the province of Taji, the ministry said. It was not specified what their complaints were, but the ministry said the Filipinos and the agencies that employed them failed to agree on certain demands prompting the strike.
US-based Kellog manages non-combat related operations of military installations in Iraq, while Prime Projects recruits Filipino workers for them. | |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #9 local Iraqi laborers in the camps... roughly in 2003 - 2004 at $ 3.00 - $ 4.00 a day Why were the wages for Iraqis working for coalition troops kept so low even though they performed such risky jobs? HU, did the Iraqis tell you how these day labor wages compared to what they might earn during Saddam's rule? |
| Posted by: Omeper Slumble4385 2005-05-28 23:13 |
| #8 Wonder what you may... but yes, I was there. Laundry service in Iraq was much better than at Camp Udairi in Kuwait. But... this isn't about me. Its not just about the Philipinos or any of the other TCNs. Its about the often taken for granted laborers who set out to work where they can, and those who end up in war zones. The mix of people in jobs, religion, race & nationalities is just amazing and sometimes sad. All these resources drawn together could achieve so much more... but then I am being a silly idealist aren't I? |
| Posted by: Hupese Unavitle8649 2005-05-28 19:22 |
| #7 I never encountered a GI there doing KP, laundry or maintaining the showers and latrines except in smaller tent-like camps with limited resources. Yes - and that's because of the policy instituted under Clinton, which reduced the active duty military to less than minimum needed, while outsourcing all logistical support. There are pluses to that policy, but downsides as well. |
| Posted by: anon 2005-05-28 19:13 |
| #6 You are right... they couldn't strike in the Persian Gulf states. Some of the Pacific Rim nationals or TNCs (third world nationals) I spoke with at Camp Slayer in Baghdad told me that they couldn't even return home because when they arrived in Kuwait for their new jobs, they surrendered their passports until their contract was fulfilled. From Kuwait, they were promised higher wages and better working conditions if they took on temporary jobs up in Iraq. Kuwait Trading Company is just one of many companies in Iraq going for a fast buck by exploiting the situation like their international mentors and brethern. The laborers are expendable... albeit a neccessary evil for the money makers. I have no doubt that the Philipinos striking at Camp Cook were consistently mismanaged and miscommunicated with and it eventually led to this situation. The TNCs are exposed to the same dangers as any other living souls in those camps... but cannot possess or bear firearms or weapons. Their pay is embarrassingly low also. The only lower paying laborers I encountered were the local Iraqi laborers in the camps... roughly in 2003 - 2004 at $ 3.00 - $ 4.00 a day. Their neighbors back in the hood knew where they were headed everyday and resented that they got jobs working for the infidels. How many Assyrian Orthodox & Catholic washwomen have been murdered or attacked for doing our laundry in Iraq? They just wanted to feed their families... no real love for us, just needed to make some money. i heard that even some of these women were offended thru behavior not in-line with acceptable social norms. Their Muslim drivers and escorts were no less offensive and insulting in their own way. The whole meatball on laborers in a war zone is different no matter which side of the meatball you look at it. If the Phillipinos strike, then there must be a reason. I was grateful for their presence and anyone helping us do our jobs better. I never encountered a GI there doing KP, laundry or maintaining the showers and latrines except in smaller tent-like camps with limited resources. |
| Posted by: Hupese Unavitle8649 2005-05-28 18:55 |
| #5 "This strikes me as odd, very out of character for Phillipinos" Yeah, and THEN some! But if this report is correct it's just 300 out of an estimated 6000. This is a very localized problem probably due to a single individual. But is it on the management or labor side of the house? |
| Posted by: Dave 2005-05-28 11:28 |
| #4 THM perhaps because in Saudi Arabia they have no legal status? They are de-facto leased slaves. Dont like the working conditions? Ok we'll ship your ass back - oh and you still have to pay your recruiter! |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-05-28 11:16 |
| #3 Is it not odd that they will only strike in American camps? In Saudi Arabia they work 7 days a week for 12 hours a day and I never heard one of them talk about striking. The living quaters for some of the maids are so horrible that I would not put my dog in it. .com and others who are familiar with the Aramco houses, might remember the crawl/closet space under the stairs of the 2 storie houses. That was the living quaters of some of the maids who worked for saudis and other muslims. |
| Posted by: TMH 2005-05-28 10:41 |
| #2 Yeah...the overseas Filipinos I know are happy to slave away seven days a week, as long as the pay is coming in for their family back home. Probably some asshole expats being total pricks to them. Wouldn't surprise me one bit. Any weblogs have the story behind this? |
| Posted by: gromky 2005-05-28 03:54 |
| #1 This strikes me as odd, very out of character for Phillipinos. Just guessing that KBR and PPI probably think they can abuse them like they were still back home, under the thumb of some near slaveholder. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-05-28 00:33 |