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Labor for Palestine
Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions!
July 28, 2014
“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.” Beyond Vietnam, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 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 1947-1948 Nakba. Indeed, eighty 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 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 US 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)
Labor Bodies
NC Public Service Workers Union-UE Local 150
Unite Union NZ
Individuals (Affiliation shown for identification only // *Labor for Palestine co-conveners)
*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, CA
*Michael Letwin, former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW L. 2325; co-founder, Jews for Palestinian Right of Return, NYC Labor Against the War; US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel
Prof. Rabab Abdulhadi, California Faculty Association SFSU
Judith Ackerman, 1199SEIU, AFT, UFT, AFTRA, SAG, New York NY
Larry Adams, former President, NPMHU L. 300; co-founder, NYC Labor Against the War; People’s Organization for Progress
Joseph Agonito, former President, L. 1845-NYSUT, AFT
Bina Ahmad, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Sameerah Ahmad, Executive Director, Cincinnati Interfaith Workers Center; former member, GEO/UAW L. 2322
Faiz Ahmed, Chairperson/président Canadian Union of Public Employees L. 3903
Tanya Akel, IBT L. 2010, AFT L. 1521
Noha Arafa, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Anthony Arnove, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, Brooklyn NY
B. Ross Ashley, SEIU L. 204 (retired), Toronto ON
John Bail, National Director, Pacific Region Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Harry Baker, Former Executive Board member, SEIU L. 1021, N. CA
Sarah Barker, Organiser, New Zealand Nurses Organisation
Julia Barnett, Steward, CUPS, L. 79
Thomas F. Barton, L. 768, DC 37, AFSCME
Bill Bateman, Laborers L. 271; Coordinator, RI Unemployed Council, RI Campaign for Work & Wages
Richard Berg, Past President, IBT L. 743
Michael Billeaux, Co-President, Teaching Assistants’ Association/AFT L. 3220, Madison WI
Walter Birdwell, Retired Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers, Branch 283
Richard Blake, IBT L. 512, Jacksonville FL
Dana Blanchard, Berkeley Federation of Teachers, AFT L. 1078
Dave Bleakney, National Union Representative, CUPW, Ottowa ON
Rebecca Bor, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT L. 1
Alexandra Bradbury, co-editor, Labor Notes
Larry Bradshaw, VP SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco
Gloria Brandman, UFT/NYC-MORE Caucus
Deena Brazy, Steward/VP, AFSCME L. 60, Madison WI
Tibby Brooks, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981
Gabriel Camacho, UNITE HERE L. 66L Cambridge MA
Chris Carlsson, Co-Director, Shaping San Francisco; SEIU L. 1021; adjunct faculty, San Francisco Art Institute
Nora Carroll, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
David Chavez, UAW L. 2865, UC Riverside
Edward Childs, Chief Steward, Unite-Here L. 26
Jan Clausen, Goddard College faculty; UAW L. 2322 Liaison to U.S. Labor Against the War, NYC Chapter
Mary Clinton, Organizer, CWA District 1
L. Antonia Codling, Alt. VP & Former Rep., Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Len Cooper, Victorian Secretary, Communication Workers Union, Australia
Krista L. Cortes, Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865, UC Berkeley
Heather Cottin, Professional Staff Congress, NYC
Mike Cushman, Membership Secretary, London School of Economics, University and College Union branch (UCU)
Denise D’Anne, SEIU L. 1021
Joe Davies, Organizer, Southern Local Government Officers Union, Christchurch NZ
Warren Davis, Exec. VP (Retired), AFGE L. 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 L. 2685, UC Berkeley Unit
Jacob Denz, GSOC/UAW L. 2110; NYU; Brooklyn, NY
Roger Dittmann, PhD, Former Secretary, United Professors of California
Monique Dols, UFT, NYC
Greg Dropkin, Unison; Liverpool Friends of Palestine, UK
Tim Dubnau, Organizing Coordinator, CWA District One
Arla S. Ertz, SEIU L. 1021 San Francisco
Shelley Ettinger, AFT L. 3882, NYC
Mark Evard, National Director, Canadian Union of Postal Workers, Ottawa ON
Mikos Fabersunne, Professional Engineers in California Government (retired)
Jessica Feldman, UAW L. 2110, NYC
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 MB
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 L. 8751
Carol Gay, President, NJ State Industrial Union Council
Maxine Gay, Retail Finance & Commerce Secretary, FIRST Union New Zealand
Carl Gentile, National Representative, American Federation of Government Employees
Christine Geovanis National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981
Alborz Ghandehari, Recording Secretary, San Diego Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Worker Union)
Hadi Gharabaghi, GSOC-UAW L. 2110; Cinema Studies, NYU
Steve Gillis, VP USW L. 8751 (Boston School Bus Drivers’ Union)
Mike Gimbel, Chairperson, Labor/Community Unity Committee, L. 375, AFSCME
Greg Giorgio, Delegate, Upstate NY Regional Branch, Industrial Workers of the World
Nathan Goldbaum, Member Communications Coordinator, Chicago Teachers Union, AFT L. 1
Marty Goodman, former Executive Board member, Transport Workers Union L. 100
Erik Green, UAW L. 2865, Financial Secretary, Santa Cruz CA
Ira Grupper, Delegate (retired), Greater Louisville (KY) Central Labor Council, BCTGM L. 16T
Maria Guillen, SEIU L. 1021
Gabriel Haaland, CWA L. 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, CT, now AFT 933 (retired)
Lucy Herschel, Delegate, 1199SEIU, NYC
Fred Hirsch, VP, Plumbers and Fitters L. 393, San Jose CA
Michael Hirsch, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981
Bridgett Holloman, 1199SEIU, Legal Aid Society, Brooklyn NY
Alexandra Holmstrom-Smith, Chair, UCLA Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Worker Union)
Jim Holstun, UUP Buffalo Center Chapter, NYSUT, AFT
Evert Hoogers, National Union Rep., CUPW (retired)
Cherrene Horazuk, President, AFSCME L. 3800
Jonathan House, President (1979-1981), Executive Director (1982-1989), Committee of Interns and Residents, SEIU
Sean Howard, Shop Steward, IBT L. 559, Hartford CT
Janet Hudgins, CUPE (retired)
Ren-yo Hwang, S. VP, UAW 2865, Los Angeles
Joe Iosbaker, Executive Board, SEIU L. 73
Malathi Iyenga, San Diego Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865
Joe Jamison, TWU L. 100 (retired)
James Jordan, National Co-Coordinator, Alliance for Global Justice
Michael P. Kaehler, President, APWU L. 647, Saint Cloud MN Area
Marianne Kaletzky, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865 Berkeley CA
Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary, AFT L. 1493, San Mateo Community College Federation of Teachers
Jim Kaplan, former member, Somerville Teachers Association, MA
Wendy Kaufmyn, Executive Board, AFT L. 2121 (faculty union of City College of San Francisco)
Brian Kelly, UCU Belfast (formerly Carpenters L. 33 Boston and IUMSWA L. 25 East Boston)
Sue Kelly, OPEIU L. 334 (retired)
Russell Kilday-Hicks, VP, California State Employees Association
Ed Kinchley, San Francisco Committee on Political Education; Co-chair, SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco
John Kirkland, Carpenters L. 1462, Bucks County PA
Steve Kirschbaum, Grievance Committee Chair, USW L. 8751
David Klein, California Faculty Association
Jeff Klein, Retired President, NAGE/SEIU L. R1-168
Cindy Klumb, OPEIU L. 153
Richard Koritz, Former President, NALC Branch 630, Greensboro NC
Dennis Kortheuer, California Faculty Association
Bud Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, L. 371 (retired)
Daniella Korotzer, Former VP & Health & Safety Rep., ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Francine Korotzer, Shop Steward, AFSCME District Council 37, L. 2054 (retired)
Dennis Kosuth, Shop Steward, Convention Delegate, National Nurses Organizing Committee, National Nurses United
Rebecca Kurti, 1199SEIU
Elizabeth Lalasz, Steward & Bargaining Team Rep., 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 L. 509
Joe Lombardo, CSEA L. 999, Troy Area Labor Council
Marsha Love, UALE, Chicago
Michael Lyon, AFT L. 2121 (retiree)
John McColgan, SENA 9158, United Steelworkers of America
Maureen McDermott, UFT, NYC
Henry Maar, Trustee, UAW L. 2865
Amir M. Maasoumi, former member, Federation des travailleurs du Quebec (FTQ)
Shafeah M’Balia, National Assn. of Letter Carriers, Greenville, NC Branch 1729; Black Workers For Justice
Cindy McCallum Miller, President, Castlegar Local Canadian Union of Postal Workers, BC
Edward Miller, Strategic Adviser, FIRST Union, Auckland NZ
Gail Miller, UFT, NYC
Nathaniel Miller, Industrial Workers of the World
Susan Olivia Morris, Alternate VP, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Irene Morrison, Recording Secretary, UAW 2865, UC Riverside
Hlokoza Motau, National Union of Metalworkers’ Union (Numsa), Johannesburg, South Africa
Kenneth Myers, United Federation of Teachers, NYC
Ken Nash, AFSCME L. 1930, DC 37
Lisa North, AFT L. 2, Brooklyn NY
Raquel Pacheco, UAW L. 2865, San Diego CA
Meredith Palmer, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, UC Berkeley
Jackson Pitts, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, UC Riverside
Maria Pizarro, AFSCME L. 2081
Marion Pollack, retiree, Vancouver BC
Jay Poppa, VP, Bridgeport Education Association, Bridgeport, CT
Dr. Anna Potempska, PhD, PEF (retired), NY
Andre’ Powell, AFSCME Delegate, Baltimore Central Labor Council
Peter Rachleff, Labor Educator; UALE
Natasha Raheja, Bargaining Committee, GSOC-UAW L. 2110, NYC
Melissa Rakestraw, Executive Board and Shop Steward, National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Branch 825, Oakbrook IL
Croft Randle, Retired Local Officer and Provincial Representative, Telecommunications Workers Union, BC Canada
Ben Ratliffe, Steward, AFSCME L. 60, WI
Dominic Renda, Chief Shop Steward, CWA L. 1105
Eric Robson, Steward and Trustee, AFSCME L. 171, Madison WI
Marco Antonio Rosales, Unit Chair, UAW L. 2865, UC Davis
Mimi Rosenberg, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Keith Rosenthal, AFSCME L. 3650, Somerville MA
Prof. Emerita Marguerite G. Rosenthal, Massachusetts State College Association/Mass. Education Assn./NEA
Andrew Ross, AAUP, NYU
Janice Rothstein, AFSCME L. 3299, San Francisco
Christina Rousseau, CUPE 3903, Toronto ON
David Russitano, Executive Board, United Educators of San Francisco, AFT/CFT L. 61
Gillian Russom, Board of Directors, United Teachers Los Angeles, AFT L. 1021
Carl Sack, AFT L. 3220, UW-Madison Teaching Assistants’ Association
Keith Sadler, UAW L. 2, Toledo OH
Lauren Schaeffer, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, Los Angeles CA
Charity Schmidt, Former Co-President, University of Wisconsin-Madison Teaching Assistants’ Association (TAA)
Robert M. Schwartz, National Writers Union/UAW L. 1981, Boston MA
Helen Scott, United Academics AAUP/AFT L. 4996, Burlington VT
Mary Scully, IUE-CWA L. 201 (retired)
Snehal Shingavi, Texas State Employees Union/CWA L. 6186, Austin TX
Tyler Shipley, CUPE L. 3903; Toronto ON
Ahmad Shirazi, Former Board Member, IATSE L. 700, NYC
Sid Shniad, Former Research Director, Telecommunications Workers Union, Vancouver BC
Jerry Silberman, Senior Staff Rep., Pennsylvania Association of Staff Nurses and Allied Professionals
Lorrie Beth Slonsky, SEIU L. 1021; Paramedic (retired)
Larry Smallwood, former Telecommunications Workers Union of Canada; Volunteer President L. 7; human rights officer; union activist for equity rights
Nancy Snyder, Recording Secretary Emeritus, SEIU L. 1021
David Sole, Past President, UAW L. 2334, Detroit
Peter Spitzform, AFT/AAUP, University of Vermont
Brenda Stokely, former President, AFSCME DC 1707; co-founder, NYC Labor Against the War; Co-Chair, Million Worker March Movement
Alan Stolzer, Bakers L. 3 (retired)
Susan Stout, Unifor 2002, Canada (retired)
Dante Strobino, UE L. 150, North Carolina Public Service Workers Union, Durham
Brian J. Sullivan, LSSA/UAW L. 2320, NYC
Rick Sullivan, BC Retired Teachers’ Association, Parksville BC
Lee Sustar, NWU/UAW L. 1981; Chicago IL
Alice Sturm Sutter, NYSNA (retired), NYC
Team Solidarity – the Voice of United School Bus Workers
Steve Terry, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Clarence Thomas, Co-Chair, Million Worker March; Executive Board, ILWU L. 10
Elizabeth Thornton, Head Steward, UCLA Unit, UAW L. 2865 (UC Student-Workers Union)
Joanne Tien, Head Steward, UAW L. 2865, Oakland CA.
Azalia Torres, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW L. 2325, NYC Legal Aid Society
Mike Treen, National Director, Unite Union NZ
Corey Uhl, IBT L. 79, Tampa FL
Jaime Veve, Transport Workers Union L. 100, NYC (retired)
Nantina Vgontzas, GSOC/UAW L. 2110, NYU
Sabina Virgo, Founding and Past President, AFSCME L. 2620
Kay L. Walker, SEIU L. 1021, San Francisco (retired)
Peter Waterman, Researcher/writer on labour internationalisms; ABVA-KABO, The Hague, Netherlands
Dave Welsh, Delegate, San Francisco Labor Council
Nancy Welch, Delegate, UVM United Academics AFT/AAUP
Bruce Wolf, Social Justice Committee, OPEIU L. 2
Sherry Wolf, CWA L. 1032
Cynthia Wright, CUPE 3903
Garrett Wright, National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW L. 2320, NYC
Eddie Yood, CWA L. 1180 Liaison to US Labor Against the War
Carol F. Yost, Organization of Staff Analysts, NYC (retired)
Steve Zeltzer, CWA L. 39521; Pacific Media Workers; KPFA WorkWeek Radio
Labor for Palestine Model Resolution
Stop the War on Gaza: No Arms for Apartheid Israel — Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions!
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 US and its allies; and
Whereas, during 2009-2018, the US 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, eighty 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 organisations, 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 US 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.
