Biden, Gaza, and Union Democracy – A Statement from the CWA Local 7250 Executive Board
The General Federation of Palestinian Trade Unions in Gaza City was bombed by an Israeli aircraft on 7 March 2024. The Federation’s building not only serves as a hub for trade union activities but also houses vital community services, including a kindergarten catering to approximately 380 boys and girls, a large automated bakery, and other essential facilities for Palestinian civilians.
Biden, Gaza, and Union Democracy
A Statement from the CWA Local 7250 Executive Board
At the urging of a group of represented members, CWA Local 7250’s Executive Board has voted unanimously to call on our union, Communications Workers of America to reconsider its endorsement of Joe Biden for President of the USA for the following reasons:
1. President Biden has given “unwavering support” to the Israeli military’s genocidal assault on the Palestinian people in Gaza leaving millions displaced, over 34, 000 killed (two-thirds women and children – the vast majority of civilians); hospitals, schools, and civilian infrastructure in ruins – including the headquarters of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions. The early union support for Biden is effectively a blank check to continue this policy.
2. The US supports Israel with diplomatic cover in the UN and with billions in military aid that could be better spent on education, housing, and health care.
3. Joe Biden has lied to the people, and justified police violence against campus protesters – including CWA members – by claiming that solidarity with Palestinians is “hate speech” and that protesters are motivated by antisemitism, despite the large number of Jewish participants in the protests. Members of CWA United Campus Workers in Arizona have been arrested and beaten for exercising their rights to protest. https://www.ucwarizona.org/ucwaz-statement-on-asu-mass-arrests
4. The endorsement of Joe Biden came without even polling the union’s membership, let alone engaging the union in democratic discussion and decision-making. CWA members have wide and diverse views and decisions like this should not be made top-down, but bottom-up with the members involved and in charge. There are many very good reasons to fear Biden’s major opponent, Donald Trump. We do not support Trump either.
But to effectively fight authoritarianism requires more democracy – not less.
Our union should empower our members, and encourage discussion, debate, and democracy. We should not just be the rubber-stamps and foot soldiers for any politician.
For these reasons we call on CWA to rescind its endorsement of Joe Biden and facilitate a democratic process to consider options, make demands, set conditions, and look at real alternatives to the present political set-up.
– CWA Local 7250 Executive Board, May 3rd 2024
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Sassafras workers condemn national CWA Biden endorsement
April 26, 2024
“Dear Executive Board of CWA 7250,
We, the workers of Sassafras Tech Collective, are against the national CWA’s endorsement of Biden for the 2024 presidential election. Biden and his administration are directly responsible for funding and supporting Israel’s ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people where, as of writing this letter, over 33,899 Palestinian people have been murdered by Israel since October 7th, 2023.
Biden is sending tens of billions of taxpayer dollars and weapons to Israel to continue their criminal war, money that could be going to working people and our families, our public schools, libraries, and healthcare. The fact that the national CWA would endorse Biden unilaterally and without caveats, without democratic input from union members — who pay their salaries and fund their campaign pools — is an abuse of power. We call on the e-board to bring this issue to our local, district, and national CWA.
Sincerely,
The workers of Sassafras Tech Collective
Members of CWA Local 7250“
