The UK representative of the Iraqi Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (IFTU), Abdullah Muhsin spoke to the Cambridge Trades Union Council on Wednesday this week (17/3/2004). He told local Cambridge trade unionists of how they had been tring to build independent trade unionists for several years before the US lead invasion of Iraq. Since the invasion they have suceeded in buildign up trade union organistion. However they are desperately short of money becasue most workers cannot afford to pay trade union subscriptions and the funds of the trade unions which were taken over by Saddam have been frozen. Further problems were caused by the raid on the IFTU offices on on Saturday 6/12/2003 by the American occupation forces. Support from British trade unionists is already underway with visits to Iraq by British trade unionists and donations of computers and the FBU donating firefighting equipment to Iraq. Cambridge TUC agreed both to make a definition of £100 to the IFTU and also to set up twinning arrangements with trade unions in Iraq.