July 30, 2014

Included with the statement below is a model resolution for unionists to present to their unions for support. Labor activists can sign the Labor for Palestine petition by clicking here .

As Israel's war on Gaza continues, with more than 1,000 Palestinian killed already, most of them civilians, Labor for Palestine is urging labor activists and unions in the U.S. to speak out. In the statement printed below, more than 200 labor activists call on the U.S. government to cut ties with Israel--and fellow workers to take action to show their solidarity with Palestine. The statement is a response to a July 20 call from Palestinian trade unions and other organizations that states in part: "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."

"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.