Labor must stand for Gaza

"We call on the UN and governments across the world to take immediate steps to implement a comprehensive and legally binding military embargo on Israel, similar to that imposed on South Africa during apartheid."
-- Palestinian Trade Unions and Civil Society, "Stop Arming Israel," July 20, 2014

"For the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent."
-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., "Beyond Vietnam," April 4, 1967

AS WORKERS and trade unionists, we join with Palestinian trade unions, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, Unite (UK/Ireland), and labor organizations around the world to urgently condemn Israel's barbaric war on Gaza, which has taken thousands of lives since 2006, including many hundreds in recent weeks.

With them, we stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people against more than a century of Zionist colonialism, dispossession, ethnic cleaning, racism, apartheid and genocide--including Israel's very establishment through the uprooting and displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1947-48 Nakba. Indeed, 80 percent of the 1.8 million people sealed into Gaza are refugees.

With them, we support boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), which demands an end to Israeli military occupation of the 1967 territories; full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, as affirmed by UN resolution 194.

Therefore:

We call on the U.S. government and its allies to end all aid to Israel.

We call on workers to emulate dockers in South Africa, India, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, the U.S. West Coast and elsewhere, by refusing to handle military or any other cargo destined for Israel.

We call on labor bodies to divest from Israel Bonds, and cut ties with the Histadrut, Israel's racist labor federation. (See model resolution, below.)

Initial Signers
(List in formation; affiliation shown for identification only; * indicates Labor for Palestine co-conveners)

Labor Bodies:
North Carolina Public Service Workers Union-UE Local 150
Unite Union, New Zealand

Individuals
*Suzanne Adely, U.S.-MENA Global Labor Solidarity Network; Former Staff, Global Organizing Institute, UAW
*Monadel Herzallah, former member, Arab American Union Members Council, San Francisco, Calif.
*Michael Letwin, former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325; co-founder, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, New York City Labor Against the War; U.S. Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
Prof. Rabab Abdulhadi, California Faculty Association, San Francisco State University
Judith Ackerman, 1199SEIU, AFT, UFT, AFTRA, SAG, New York, N.Y.
Larry Adams, former President, NPMHU Local 300; co-founder, New York City Labor Against the War; People's Organization for Progress
Joseph Agonito, former President, Local 1845-NYSUT, AFT
Bina Ahmad, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Sameerah Ahmad, Executive Director, Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center; former member, GEO/UAW Local 2322
Faiz Ahmed, Chairperson/président Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903
Tanya Akel, IBT Local 2010, AFT Local 1521
Noha Arafa, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Anthony Arnove, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981, Brooklyn, N.Y.
B. Ross Ashley, SEIU Local 204 (retired), Toronto, Ontario
John Bail, National Director, Pacific Region Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Harry Baker, Former Executive Board member, SEIU Local 1021, North Carolina
Sarah Barker, Organizer, New Zealand Nurses Organization
Julia Barnett, Steward, CUPS, Local 79
Thomas F. Barton, Local 768, DC 37, AFSCME
Bill Bateman, Laborers Local 271; Coordinator, Rhode Island Unemployed Council, Rhode Island Campaign for Work and Wages
Richard Berg, Past President, IBT Local 743
Michael Billeaux, Co-President, Teaching Assistants' Association/AFT Local 3220, Madison, Wis.
Walter Birdwell, Retired Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 283
Richard Blake, IBT Local 512, Jacksonville, Fla.
Dana Blanchard, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1078
Dave Bleakney, National Union Representative, CUPW, Ottowa, Ontario
Rebecca Bor, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT Local 1
Alexandra Bradbury, Co-editor, Labor Notes
Larry Bradshaw, Vice President SEIU Local 1021, San Francisco
Gloria Brandman, UFT/New York City-MORE Caucus
Deena Brazy, Steward/VP, AFSCME Local 60, Madison, Wis.
Tibby Brooks, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981
Gene Bruskin, Founder, U.S. Labor Against the War
Gabriel Camacho, UNITE HERE Local 66L Cambridge, Mass.
Chris Carlsson, Co-Director, Shaping San Francisco; SEIU Local 1021; adjunct faculty, San Francisco Art Institute
Nora Carroll, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
David Chavez, UAW Local 2865, University of California at Riverside
Edward Childs, Chief Steward, UNITE-HERE Local 26
Jan Clausen, Goddard College faculty; UAW Local 2322 Liaison to U.S. Labor Against the War, New York City Chapter
Mary Clinton, Organizer, CWA District 1
L. Antonia Codling, Alt. Vice President and former Representative, Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Len Cooper, Victorian Secretary, Communication Workers Union, Australia
Krista Local Cortes, Unit Chair, UAW Local 2865, University of California at Berkeley
Heather Cottin, Professional Staff Congress, New York City
Mike Cushman, Membership Secretary, London School of Economics, University and College Union branch (UCU)
Denise D'Anne, SEIU Local 1021
Joe Davies, Organizer, Southern Local Government Officers Union, Christchurch, New Zealand
Warren Davis, Executive Vice President (Retired), AFGE Local 2006, Philadelphia
Richard Deaton, Ph.D., LL.B., Asst. Director of Research, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) (retired)
Francisco Martin del Campo, Head Steward, UAW Local 2685, University of California at Berkeley Unit
Jacob Denz, GSOC/UAW Local 2110; NYU; Brooklyn, N.Y.
Roger Dittmann, PhD, former Secretary, United Professors of California
Monique Dols, UFT, New York City
Greg Dropkin, Unison; Liverpool Friends of Palestine, United Kingdom
Tim Dubnau, Organizing Coordinator, CWA District One
Arla S. Ertz, SEIU Local 1021 San Francisco
Shelley Ettinger, AFT Local 3882, New York City
Mark Evard, National Director, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Ottawa, Ontario
Mikos Fabersunne, Professional Engineers in California Government (retired)
Jessica Feldman, UAW Local 2110, New York City
Chris Ferlazzo, Portland Jobs with Justice
Prof. Mary E. Finn, Ph. D., United University Professionals, State University of New York at Buffalo
Prof. Patrick J. Finn, Ph. D., United University Professionals, State University of New York at Buffalo
Gord Fischer, National Director, CUPW Prairie Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Jon Flanders, past President, IAM 1145
Prof. Manzar Foroohar, former Chapter President, California Faculty Association-Cal Poly
Sheena Foster, Global Labour University Alumni
Andre Francois, Recording Secretary, USW Local 8751
Carol Gay, President, N.J. State Industrial Union Council
Maxine Gay, Retail Finance and Commerce Secretary, FIRST Union New Zealand
Carl Gentile, National Representative, American Federation of Government Employees
Christine Geovanis National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981
Alborz Ghandehari, Recording Secretary, San Diego Unit, UAW Local 2865 (University of California Student-Worker Union)
Hadi Gharabaghi, GSOC-UAW Local 2110; Cinema Studies, New York University
Steve Gillis, Vice President, USW Local 8751 (Boston School Bus Drivers' Union)
Mike Gimbel, Chairperson, Labor/Community Unity Committee, Local 375, AFSCME
Greg Giorgio, Delegate, Upstate N.Y. Regional Branch, Industrial Workers of the World
Nathan Goldbaum, Member Communications Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT Local 1
Marty Goodman, former Executive Board member, Transport Workers Union Local 100
Erik Green, UAW Local 2865, Financial Secretary, Santa Cruz CA
Ira Grupper, Delegate (retired), Greater Louisville (KY) Central Labor Council, BCTGM Local 16T
Maria Guillen, SEIU Local 1021
Gabriel Haaland, CWA Local 9404
Jesse Hagopian, Seattle Education Association/NEA
Denise Hammond, Unifor 591 G
David Heap, University of Western Ontario Faculty Association
Jenny Heinz, 1199SEIU
Stanley Heller, 40-year AFT member, West Haven, Conn., now AFT 933 (retired)
Lucy Herschel, Delegate, 1199SEIU, New York City
Fred Hirsch, Vice President, Plumbers and Fitters Local 393, San Jose, Calif.
Michael Hirsch, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981
Bridgett Holloman, 1199SEIU, Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Alexandra Holmstrom-Smith, Chair, UCLA Unit, UAW Local 2865 (University of California Student-Worker Union)
Jim Holstun, UUP Buffalo Center Chapter, NYSUT, AFT
Evert Hoogers, National Union Rep., CUPW (retired)
Cherrene Horazuk, President, AFSCME Local 3800
Jonathan House, President (1979-1981), Executive Director (1982-1989), Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU
Sean Howard, Shop Steward, IBT Local 559, Hartford, Conn.
Janet Hudgins, CUPE (retired)
Ren-yo Hwang, Senior Vice President, UAW 2865, Los Angeles
Joe Iosbaker, Executive Board, SEIU Local 73
Malathi Iyenga, San Diego Unit Chair, UAW Local 2865
Joe Jamison, TWU Local 100 (retired)
James Jordan, National Co-Coordinator, Alliance for Global Justice
Michael P. Kaehler, President, APWU Local 647, Saint Cloud, Minn., area
Marianne Kaletzky, Head Steward, UAW Local 2865 Berkeley, Calif.
Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT Local 1493, San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers
Jim Kaplan, former member, Somerville Teachers Association, Mass.
Wendy Kaufmyn, Executive Board, AFT Local 2121 (faculty union of City College of San Francisco)
Brian Kelly, UCU Belfast (formerly Carpenters Local 33 Boston and IUMSWA Local 25 East Boston)
Sue Kelly, OPEIU Local 334 (retired)
Russell Kilday-Hicks, Vice President, California State Employees Association
Ed Kinchley, San Francisco Committee on Political Education; Co-chair, SEIU Local 1021, San Francisco
John Kirkland, Carpenters Local 1462, Bucks County, Pa.
Steve Kirschbaum, Grievance Committee Chair, USW Local 8751
David Klein, California Faculty Association
Jeff Klein, Retired President, NAGE/SEIU Local R1-168
Cindy Klumb, OPEIU Local 153
Richard Koritz, Former President, NALC Branch 630, Greensboro, N.C.
Dennis Kortheuer, California Faculty Association
Bud Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, Local 371 (retired)
Daniella Korotzer, Former Vice President and Health and Safety Representative, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Francine Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, Local 2054 (retired)
Dennis Kosuth, Shop Steward, Convention Delegate, National Nurses Organizing Committee, National Nurses United
Rebecca Kurti, 1199SEIU
Elizabeth Lalasz, Steward and Bargaining Team Representative, National Convention Delegate, District 13, National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses Unites (NNOC/NNU)
Zoe Lawlor, Unite Teacher, University of Limerick, Ireland
Howard Lenow, American Jews For A Just Peace, trade union lawyer
Kristin Lew, 1199SEIU
Stephen Lewis, SEIU Local 509
Joe Lombardo, CSEA Local 999, Troy Area Labor Council
Marsha Love, UALE, Chicago
Michael Lyon, AFT Local 2121 (retiree)
John McColgan, SENA 9158, United Steelworkers of America
Maureen McDermott, UFT, New York City
Henry Maar, Trustee, UAW Local 2865
Amir M. Maasoumi, former Member, Federation des travailleurs du Quebec (FTQ)
Shafeah M'Balia, National Association of Letter Carriers, Greenville, N.C., Branch 1729; Black Workers For Justice
Cindy McCallum Miller, President, Castlegar Local Canadian Union of Postal Workers, British Columbia
Edward Miller, Strategic Adviser, FIRST Union, Auckland, New Zealand
Gail Miller, UFT, New York City
Nathaniel Miller, Industrial Workers of the World
Susan Olivia Morris, Alternate Vice President, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Irene Morrison, Recording Secretary, UAW 2865, University of California at Riverside
Hlokoza Motau, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), Johannesburg, South Africa
Kenneth Myers, United Federation of Teachers, New York City
Ken Nash, AFSCME Local 1930, DC 37
Lisa North, AFT Local 2, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Raquel Pacheco, UAW Local 2865, San Diego, Calif.
Meredith Palmer, Head Steward, UAW Local 2865, University of California at Berkeley
Jackson Pitts, Head Steward, UAW Local 2865, University of California at Riverside
Maria Pizarro, AFSCME Local 2081
Marion Pollack, retiree, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jay Poppa, Vice President, Bridgeport Education Association, Bridgeport, Conn.
Dr. Anna Potempska, PhD, PEF (retired), N.Y.
Andre' Powell, AFSCME Delegate, Baltimore Central Labor Council
Peter Rachleff, Labor Educator; UALE
Natasha Raheja, Bargaining Committee, GSOC-UAW Local 2110, New York City
Melissa Rakestraw, Executive Board and Shop Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 825, Oakbrook, Ill.
Croft Randle, Retired Local Officer and Provincial Representative, Telecommunications Workers Union, British Columbia, Canada
Ben Ratliffe, Steward, AFSCME Local 60, Wis.
Dominic Renda, Chief Shop Steward, CWA Local 1105
Eric Robson, Steward and Trustee, AFSCME Local 171, Madison, Wis.
Marco Antonio Rosales, Unit Chair, UAW Local 2865, University of California at Davis
Mimi Rosenberg, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Keith Rosenthal, AFSCME Local 3650, Somerville, Mass.
Prof. Emerita Marguerite G. Rosenthal, Massachusetts State College Association/Mass. Education Assn./NEA
Andrew Ross, AAUP, New York University
Janice Rothstein, AFSCME Local 3299, San Francisco
Christina Rousseau, CUPE 3903, Toronto, Ontario
David Russitano, Executive Board, United Educators of San Francisco, AFT/CFT Local 61
Gillian Russom, Board of Directors, United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT Local 1021
Carl Sack, AFT Local 3220, UW-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association
Keith Sadler, UAW Local 2, Toledo, Ohio
Lauren Schaeffer, Head Steward, UAW Local 2865, Los Angeles
Charity Schmidt, former Co-President, University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Assistants' Association (TAA)
Robert M. Schwartz, National Writers Union/UAW Local 1981, Boston
Helen Scott, United Academics AAUP/AFT Local 4996, Burlington, Vt.
Mary Scully, IUE-CWA Local 201 (retired)
Snehal Shingavi, Texas State Employees Union/CWA Local 6186, Austin, Texas
Tyler Shipley, CUPE Local 3903; Toronto, Ontario
Ahmad Shirazi, former Board Member, IATSE Local 700, New York City
Sid Shniad, Former Research Director, Telecommunications Workers Union, Vancouver, British Columbia
Jerry Silberman, Senior Staff Representative, Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals
Lorrie Beth Slonsky, SEIU Local 1021; Paramedic (retired)
Larry Smallwood, former Telecommunications Workers Union of Canada; Volunteer President Local 7; human rights officer; union activist for equity rights
Nancy Snyder, Recording Secretary Emeritus, SEIU Local 1021
David Sole, Past President, UAW Local 2334, Detroit
Peter Spitzform, AFT/AAUP, University of Vermont
Brenda Stokely, former President, AFSCME DC 1707; co-founder, New York City Labor Against the War; Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement
Alan Stolzer, Bakers Local 3 (retired)
Susan Stout, Unifor 2002, Canada (retired)
Dante Strobino, UE Local 150, North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, Durham, N.C.
Brian J. Sullivan, LSSA/UAW Local 2320, New York City
Rick Sullivan, BC Retired Teachers' Association, Parksville, British Columbia
Lee Sustar, NWU/UAW Local 1981; Chicago
Alice Sturm Sutter, NYSNA (retired), New York City
Team Solidarity--the Voice of United School Bus Workers
Steve Terry, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Clarence Thomas, Co-Chair, Million Worker March; Executive Board, ILWU Local 10
Elizabeth Thornton, Head Steward, UCLA Unit, UAW Local 2865 (University of California Student-Workers Union)
Joanne Tien, Head Steward, UAW Local 2865, Oakland, Calif.
Azalia Torres, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW Local 2325, New York City Legal Aid Society
Mike Treen, National Director, Unite Union, New Zealand
Corey Uhl, IBT Local 79, Tampa, Fla.
Jaime Veve, Transport Workers Union Local 100, New York City (retired)
Nantina Vgontzas, GSOC/UAW Local 2110, New York University
Sabina Virgo, Founding and Past President, AFSCME Local 2620
Kay Local Walker, SEIU Local 1021, San Francisco (retired)
Peter Waterman, Researcher/writer on labor internationalisms; ABVA-KABO, the Hague, Netherlands
Nancy Welch, Delegate, UVM United Academics, AFT/AAUP
Dave Welsh, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council
Bruce Wolf, Social Justice Committee, OPEIU Local 2
Sherry Wolf, CWA Local 1032
Cynthia Wright, CUPE 3903
Garrett Wright, National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320, New York City
Eddie Yood, CWA Local 1180 Liaison to U.S. Labor Against the War
Carol F. Yost, Organization of Staff Analysts, New York City (retired)
Steve Zeltzer, CWA Local 39521; Pacific Media Workers; KPFA WorkWeek Radio

Whereas, Israel is committing yet another series of massacres in Gaza, many victims of which include workers, children, entire families the elderly, and the disabled; and

Whereas, Palestinian workers and their families continue to be killed and maimed by naval vessels, jet fighters, Apache helicopters, white phosphorous and other weapons supplied by the U.S. and its allies; and

Whereas, during 2009-2018, the U.S. government is set to provide military aid to Israel worth $30 billion; and

Whereas, Israel claims of "self-defense" are a thinly disguised pretext for more than a century of Zionist colonialism, dispossession, ethnic cleaning, racism, and genocide against the Palestinian people--including Israel's very establishment through the uprooting and displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1947-1948 Nakba. Indeed, 80 percent of the 1.8 million people sealed into Gaza are refugees; and

Whereas, veteran South African freedom fighters have observed that Israel's treatment of Palestinians is "worse than apartheid"; and

Whereas, on July 12, 2014, Gaza civil society issued an urgent appeal for solidarity, calling for an arms embargo and full boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel, which demands an end to Israeli military occupation of the 1967 territories; full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and the right of return for Palestinian refugees, as affirmed by UN resolution 194; and

Whereas, on July 10, 2014, the Congress of South African Trade Unions denounced the latest Israeli massacres in Gaza, and called "on the international trade union movement, various civil society organizations, international religious bodies and even business to speak out against savagery and barbarism against fellow human beings"; and

Whereas, on July 11, 2014, Unite, the biggest union in the UK and Ireland, stated that it "unreservedly condemns the continuing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and calls for the military strikes and the military build up to be halted immediately," and reiterated its support for BDS; and

Whereas, the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against apartheid Israel has been endorsed by numerous labor bodies around the world, including the trade union congresses of South Africa, Egypt, Brazil, Ireland, Scotland and the UK, and labor bodies in Australia, France, Canada, Norway, Catalunya, Italy, Spain and Turkey; and

Whereas, top U.S. labor officials nonetheless continues to invest billions of from union members' pension funds in state of Israel bonds, a pillar of apartheid that enjoys tax-exempt status from the U.S. government; and

Whereas, in opposing the Vietnam war, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared: "For the sake of the hundreds of thousands trembling under our violence, I cannot be silent"; and

Whereas, Nelson Mandela declared: "We know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians";

Therefore:

We call on the US government and its allies to end all aid to Israel.

We call on workers to emulate dockers in South Africa, India, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, the U.S. West Coast and elsewhere, by refusing to handle military or any other cargo destined for Israel.

We call on labor bodies to divest from Israel bonds, and cut ties with the Histadrut, Israel's racist labor federation.