Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani
Sudani approves new regulations for Iraq’s delivery and service workers
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani has approved a package of measures to regulate Iraq’s labor market and improve protections for workers in both public and private service sectors, including delivery drivers, his office said Sunday.
The decision follows a Sept. 20 meeting between Al-Sudani and a group of delivery workers and reflects the government’s push to improve legal and social conditions for young workers. A committee formed under Diwani Order No. 251296 the next day presented 15 recommendations covering organizational, legal, and security aspects, which have now been approved for implementation.
Among the measures is the creation of a General Union for Delivery Workers under the Trade Union Organization Law No. 52 of 1987 in coordination with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Other steps include registering delivery workers in social and health insurance programs, launching a government-supervised app under the Ministry of Transport to organize work relations between companies and drivers, and easing motorcycle registration fees while allowing regulated access to fuel stations.
The Interior Ministry and Joint Operations Command were instructed to coordinate with drivers during night shifts, while government and private banks will issue small, low-interest loans under Central Bank supervision to support personal projects.
The government also ordered delivery companies and restaurants to comply with labor standards on wages and working hours. Relevant departments in the ministries of Labor, Communications, and Trade will register delivery offices and firms and submit a progress report within 60 days to the Prime Minister’s Office.
According to the government, the reforms are part of its plan to promote social justice, regulate the informal sector, and transform temporary jobs into stable professions that ensure workers’ legal and economic security, in line with efforts to expand social protection and increase employment nationwide.