[Labor For Palestine is an independent, global solidarity campaign founded by: Al-Awda.org and New York City Labor Against the War]
Rebuilding Labor at the AFL-CIO Convention in Chicago, July 23, 2005
On July 23, 2005, LFP will hold a national educational conference in Chicago on the issue of Palestine, Labor and the AFL-CIO. At the same time that the National AFL-CIO supports the US war and occupation of Iraq, it also defends the “strangulation wall” and the institution of an apartheid state against the Palestinian workers and people. This conference will examine the history of the relationship of the AFL-CIO to Israel as well as the extensive investments of AFL-CIO pension funds into Israel Bonds.
We will also look at the active efforts of the AFL-CIO leadership and supporters of Israel to silence critics of Israel in the labor movement. This will also include the effort to purge professors and teachers who are supporters of Palestinian rights. The conference will also look at how and why the labor movement around the world has come to the defense of Palestinian workers and unions. We invite labor activists, trade unionists and union locals to endorse and participate in this critical conference.
The conference, hosted by Students for Justice in Palestine-DePaul, will be held at DePaul University and will go from 10am to 6pm. The event will include local and international speakers, and will debut two new documentaries on labor and Palestine.
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LFP’s Resolution on Israel Bonds To Be Presented at the Convention:
Whereas, the use of union pension money is a vehicle for bringing change against union busters in the US and around the world and,
Whereas, the purchase of Israel Bonds has helped the Israeli government pursue it’s continued construction of illegal settlements in the West Bank and Gaza and,
Whereas, these pension funds have been invested without the knowledge and vote of the membership of unions within the AFL-CIO and,
Whereas, the Israeli government has targeted trade unionists and their unions for repression and destruction and,
Whereas, the US labor movement opposed the apartheid regime in South Africa and opposes all regimes that discriminate against workers because of religion, race, or national origin and,
Whereas, US labor can no longer acquiesce with the polices of the AFL-CIO leadership including many internationals in continuing the financial support of this regime,
Whereas, US labor must divest from any regime or institution that violates international law, including the Palestinian right to return,
Therefore, be it resolved, the following trade unionists call on our affiliated unions and the AFL-CIO to divest of all Israeli bonds and to oppose the continued occupation and apartheid regime in Israel.
