Iraqi MP accused of exploiting oil job Issue for votes
Shafaq News/ On Saturday, an Iraqi labor rights official accused members of parliament in Basra of exploiting a long-standing employment issue in the oil sector to boost their campaigns ahead of Iraq's upcoming elections.
Speaking to Shafaq News, Hakim al-Aidani, director of the Center for the Defense of Workers in Oil Fields, pointed to the renewed spotlight on the long-demanded 'safety passport,' a certification required by many seeking jobs in the province's oil industry.
'The issue first emerged when BP began operating in the fields,' al-Aidani recalled. 'Thousands of young people appealed for action, but the file remained ignored for years.'
The current version of the document, known locally as the 'red passport,' is not accepted by oil companies, even for entry-level jobs such as cleaners at fields like Rumaila. Job seekers who obtain it are often rejected when they apply.
Al-Aidani noted that Total, which now oversees multiple projects in Basra, requires a different type of certification. This shift follows earlier patterns, including a period when a Chinese operator invalidated the previously used 'green passport.' Each transition, he added, renders older documents useless and forces applicants to restart the process.
He also questioned the move to offer the passport free of charge, after years during which applicants paid more than $500 to obtain it. 'Where were officials when young people were bearing these costs?' he asked.
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