"International Workers’ Day: Iraqi unions decry poor conditions and broken promises" 1 May 2025

Iraqi labour unions and workers voiced growing frustration over poor working conditions, high unemployment and the slow implementation of legal protections...Labour representatives accuse private sector employers of failing to uphold key provisions of the country's labour law, particularly regarding workplace safety and social security coverage...
However, the prime minister acknowledged that "a large portion of Iraq’s workers remain without social security" and promised further efforts to ensure comprehensive coverage...Despite such pledges, workers say conditions on the ground tell a different story...
Chalak Rauf, head of the Sulaimaniyah branch of the Kurdistan Workers’ Union said "Business owners are not implementing the law. There are no proper contracts. Workers are pushed to do extra hours for minimum wages without safety measures. Some are paid daily or replaced with foreign workers who accept half-wages."..."We’ve filed hundreds of complaints with the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG), and although some businesses have been penalised, enforcement remains weak"...According to Rauf, current labour regulations under the KRG do not cover workers in housing or construction projects, leaving many of the most vulnerable labourers unprotected...
On Thursday afternoon, workers’ unions organised a rally in Sulaimaniyah calling for stronger legal guarantees...While officials continue to promise reform, workers say real change will only come when labour laws are fully implemented and enforced across both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region...