Labor for Palestine w/ José Francisco Negrete and Miriam Arghandiwal
Our guests today are representatives from Labor for Palestine in Los Angeles, joining us to talk about organized labor’s role in confronting genocide. Guest host Thandisizwe Chimurenga speaks with organizers from Labor For Palestine. José Francisco Negrete is a Los Angeles–based labor organizer with Labor for Palestine, organizing within unions to build worker-led solidarity against Israel’s genocide and in support of Palestinian liberation. Miriam Arghandiwal is a member of IAtSE 871 and an organizer with Labor For Palestine LA, OC, IE, the boycott Home Depot Coalition and entertainment labor for Palestine.
Listen:
Transcript:
(0:02 – 1:28)
What’s up family? You are tuned into Law and Disorder, a podcast where we expose the cracks in our system, agitate for resistance, and collectively build a new world in which all of us can thrive. From KPFA Radio and the Pacifica Network, I’m your host, Kat Brooks. It’s about 8 or 9 in the morning here on Law and Disorder.
I’m your host, Tondi Schimeringa, filling in for Kat Brooks. It has been over 800 days since October 7th, 2023. According to Al Jazeera, 67 days into a so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 400 Palestinians in Gaza.
A winter storm has claimed the lives of at least 14 Palestinians, exposing once again the deadly conditions created by siege and displacement. Israel has approved further settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank, and since October 7th, 2023, Israel has killed more than 70,656 Palestinians in Gaza, and we know that number is an undercount. Our first guests today are from Labor for Palestine.
(1:28 – 5:06)
Jose Francisco Negrete is a Los Angeles-based labor organizer with Labor for Palestine, organizing within unions to build worker-led solidarity against Israel’s genocide and in support of Palestinian liberation. He’s joined by Miriam Argandewal, a member of IATSE 871, and also an organizer with Labor for Palestine, Los Angeles, Orange County, Inland Empire, the Boycott Home Depot Coalition, and Entertainment Labor for Palestine. Good morning and welcome to Law and Disorder.
Good morning. Thank you for having us. Buenos dias.
For listeners who may be new to Labor for Palestine, can you explain what the organization is and why labor solidarity is a critical front in the fight for labor, excuse me, for Palestinian liberation? Yeah, so Labor for Palestine is a national network that has chapters all over the country. It started, Jose, am I right, about 20 years ago? Yes. Yeah, and we are the Los Angeles, Orange County, and Inland Empire chapter, and things we focus on is everything from getting, you know, our unions to divest pensions, our pensions from donating to Israel, money to Israel, to making sure we are the front lines of Zionism against, in our own fields, you know, for entertainment, to teaching, to whatever our, you know, labor expertise may be.
And then also supporting, you know, the local, our local movements and trying to uplift, you know, any kind of economic boycotts or, you know, divestment, any kind of actions we can to try to lessen, you know, the reigns, the systematic reigns that Israel and Zionism has on our labor. You know, they’ve tried to weaponize our labor from the get-go, and, you know, we’ve kind of support for, financial support for Israel, and, you know, every facet of our life, and we’re just kind of navigating how to undo that, but then also, again, keep that frontline. And Jose, I don’t know if you want to add anything else? Yes, and Labor, one of the most key tenet of Labor is that of solidarity, and the slogan of the great trade union, the international, the Wobblies, excuse me, was, you know, an injury to one is an injury to all, and that also applies to our Palestinian comrades, because they have a trade union too, as well, in Palestine.
So it’s, it’s a key principle of Labor, so we always have to stand with each other. An injury, like I said, an injury to one is an injury to all. So Labor is very critical in helping and supporting our fellow Palestinian comrades for their self-determination and their liberation, because all they want to do is just live a life of respect and dignity, as the working class out here, and throughout the world, just wants to live through, wants to live by, excuse me.
(5:09 – 7:57)
Miriam, I’m curious what you mean when you say Labor has been weaponized. Well, I think our Labor has been weaponized with threatening our Labor, right, when, for speaking out for Palestine, that’s the biggest example. You know, for, and then to use our Labor to, to use our pensions to fund something as dark as genocide, you know, to support it, I think that’s another way it’s been weaponized.
And, you know, speaking as an entertainment worker, it’s been very, it’s very easy to see how it’s been weaponized, you know, we’re, we’re silenced very easily, and there’s very serious consequences for speaking out to support Palestine. So I think if you need evidence, look no more than the entertainment industry. Well, yeah, I was going to ask you, what are some of the challenges that union members face when trying to speak out for Palestine, particularly around retaliation or censorship? Or is there pressure from union leadership and employers? Yeah, I think there’s been across the board, it’s, you know, every, there’s a sentiment where, you know, people believe like in every human right, except for Palestine.
And so it is kind of, you know, the hot topic issue that nobody wants to discuss, or, you know, they claim that things are too political when are the very essence of our unions are political. And we’ve always used them for a tool for social change, and social mobility. And so, you know, they, they say, you know, we don’t part with Hollywood union specific, they say, you know, it’s too political, this isn’t our place to say anything when again, they have said, they’ve come out to condemn Iran for, you know, targeting filmmakers and stuff like that, but they will not do so for Israel.
So it’s definitely a double standard. There’s the risk of blacklisting that we’ve seen, you know, and that’s very strong, you will be blacklisted. Paramount, I believe has an alleged rumored blacklist that they have of pro Palestinian speakers that leaked.
And there’s also isolation, right? There’s isolations from your social groups, there’s isolation from, you know, it’s, it’s not just being blacklisted from, you know, your job alone, it’s also, you know, being branded and anti semite in a bad faith way. That’s not accurate, right? And making you seem like you’re a hateful person. And so there’s a lot of that that still works here in Los Angeles, unfortunately.
(7:59 – 11:28)
So how has labor for Palestine been organizing within unions here in LA? What kinds of actions or resolutions have you seen workers take in response to Israel’s genocide in Gaza? So there’s been the attempt, you know, to pass resolutions within our, within our unions to try to get our unions to speak up. Sometimes that’s been easy, because it’s been, you know, a democratic way that you can vote on things. And some unions, like with SAG-AFTRA, it has not been easy, because there’s not so much of a democratic way to pass resolutions.
It’s more so with leadership. And so I think folks have been, you know, trying to, when they saw that their union leadership had not been representing them, a lot of them looked for ways to get involved, and their union leadership to make sure, you know, our causes had a voice there. In addition to that, you know, when we see that unions are not responsive at all, there is sometimes, you know, where we have to push back in different ways, which, you know, might be protesting and taking action, you know, showing up outside their buildings to let them know that we dissent how they’re behaving.
We are gearing up, you know, to protest outside of Paramount as, you know, an example of that. And Paramount was just bought by the Ellison family, which is one of the top donators to the IDF. And, you know, it’s a good promise that there’ll be a propaganda machine for both Trump and Israel.
And so that’s something we’re very concerned about, and we’re finding ways to respond to that. And then there’s a lot of educating folks, right? Letting people know how our labor is being weaponized. That’s also something we’ve had to do, is to just let people know, you know, this is how much, you know, and people I think are also sometimes alarmed at how all the different ways our society and our labor is designed to support Israel.
So, you know, that education is a big, big component of our work. I think you discussed, you asked, excuse me, about actions that we had. There was an action at the San Diego Labor Council that happened several months ago where they passed a resolution after comrade Chris Moss was abducted in one of the flotillas and harassed and beaten by the IOF.
So in response to that, Los Angeles labor activists, you know, met and we said we need to do something of our own to San Diego’s beating us to the punch when it comes to the resolution. So it was introduced at the L.A. Fed workers meeting. I forgot the proper name of it, but they introduced a resolution, you know, condemning the genocide and basically a solidarity call with the Palestinians.
So hopefully that gets voted on, I think, in next month. So hopefully, you know, the L.A. Fed will pass that resolution denouncing the genocide that is happening in Gaza. And you know, there’s a message of solidarity to the Palestinians as well.
(11:29 – 12:35)
And then another action is to is at Labor Day in Wilmington in South Bay, L.A., there’s a Labor Day parade in March and there’s a bunch of labor unions there, excuse me, with their tents and stuff like that. And this year, Labor for Palestine, L.A. OCIE, we had a booth there. So even something as simple as that, as being being in a parade and being in the speakers so people could see like, well, what, you know, labor, there’s these activists talking about labor and the feedback was good.
You know, it opens eyes when when when you’re inside a labor gathering like that and you’re speaking out. And most people don’t understand, especially workers. Most of them don’t understand the connection of labor to Israel, whether it’s like Comrade Miriam talked about with investing, you know, through a 401ks or our unions buying Israeli bonds.
(12:36 – 15:57)
You know, we always talk about the arms embargo. Yeah, that’s very critical. But it’s also critical that we divest from an ongoing genocide, because if we’re if we’re if we’re contributing into that, we are we are breaking the core tenet, which is of solidarity.
We cannot we cannot do that. So those are some some actions that we’ve done. Well, some of us have done in the in the past year and hopefully 2026 we could do some more educational and do some more actions as well.
And once again, you somewhat covered a question I was going to ask. I was going to ask, how is it that you all connect the struggle of Palestinian workers to broader fights against exploitation, militarism and colonialism here in the United States? So. Well, out here, it’s it’s simple as I’m a Mexican-American, my parents came here undocumented.
Yeah, I’m a so-called anchor baby. And I see all these kidnappings that are happening in my community. I’ve had Trump’s Gestapo come to my street twice as as I think two weeks ago.
They’re on my street. They kidnapped two people from from my understanding. And you see that and you hear and you see how Palestinians are are just kidnapped for for whatever reason.
You know, the Iowa doesn’t need a reason. You know, they just they just take kidnapping. And then we see right now the Supreme Court just gave the Trump administration the reasonable suspicion, you know, they could just kidnap you just because they think that you might look like an undocumented worker, undocumented person.
Yeah. So those connections are real. Back in the day when some of us made the connections, there people really didn’t see it.
But now it’s in full force and full focus, excuse me, that the technology that Israel uses to constantly surveil, surveil the Palestinians is the same technology that’s being used out here to to surveil, you know, the undocumented community and so-called well, so-called undocumented. I mean, it’s hard to you just who’s who’s undocumented, you know, and so it’s those those same things are happening here. So those connections, the intersectionality is is strong.
And for me, Comrade Miriam, working with the Home Depot Boycott Coalition, we make those connections for what’s happening here and then what’s happening in Palestine. Yeah, I think we’ve always looked at it as especially with the issue of ICE, that it is the same issue. And, you know, ICE from their training with the Israeli military that they have, you see the sound equipment that was placed outside of Cypress Park by the Home Depot to drive away homeless people and everyone in the parking lots.
That’s basically almost like using a torture device, right, is something, you know, that Israelis have done to Palestinians. A lot of the technology we see using being used to spy on us now in Los Angeles and cities like Chicago and whatnot have were first tested on Palestinians. And, you know, PYM has the line tested on Palestinians used on us.
(15:57 – 18:52)
And that’s pretty much what is happening. But also I’d like to plant the parallels, you know, of border walls, checkpoints based on race, kidnappings, taking people based on race and what language they’re speaking, having no way to count, you know, no accountability once they’re taken. We don’t, you know, sometimes they don’t even get access to lawyers, no due process.
All of that is reminiscent, you know, of what the Israelis do to the Palestinians. And I think the dangerous thing, the dangerous parallel, right, is the impunity that our ICE agents are getting right now. And Israel being the, you know, the biggest tale of what happens when a military force gets impunity and never gets reprimanded.
That is the hate and the level of betrayal that we are headed towards of no one takes action against ICE. And we see the similarities already. And if we don’t step up, you know, we might not have another chance to fight this.
So we need all hands on deck right now. So yeah, your organization is also part of a coalition regarding ICE and Home Depot. There was, to my understanding, there was a rally against Home Depot complicity in ICE raids that took place on Black Friday.
Is that correct? Yes. So we had an action at the Torrance Home Depot on Black Friday, and we went out there calling for a boycott of Home Depot until they publicly condemn ICE. Right.
It’s been over, I think, we’re getting close to, I think, 180, 190 days, maybe even 200 now, of days of ICE raids since June 6. And Home Depot has said nothing to publicly condemn ICE. There’s been over 52 stores in Southern California that have been raided. They have not said anything.
We want them to also forbid federal agents entry to their parking lots and stores, you know, asking for warrants, trying to, you know, things like that or stuff they’re not doing. The third ask is to have day labor centers at all locations. And our final ask is for reparations for folks who have already been affected on their properties.
Are there any other actions scheduled? Yes, we will be having, especially for Boycott Home Depot in the next new year, we will be having many come up. So please do look at our Instagram page of Home Depot Boycott is our handle. If you check back there, we’ll have our actions.
(18:52 – 20:05)
And, you know, I think it’s important while our boycott grows, you know, to keep it grounded. And, you know, then the fight for indigenous people, we always say, you know, we try to differentiate between migrant and immigrant, and really reminding people that, you know, they’re deporting the indigenous people of this continent, you know, and making that connection to so people do understand even, you know, the relation between, again, the relationship between Palestine and Israel. And why how that reflects here, you know, the condition for imperialism or for colonialism is the constant ethnic cleansing of the indigenous population.
And it’s not a surprise that in 2050, the Latino population is supposed to be at 40% of the American population. And that, you know, this is happening right before that. Um, real quick, for workers listening right now, who want their units to take a stand, what are some concrete steps they can take to organize their co workers and build solidarity for Palestine? Um, go ahead, Jose.
(20:06 – 21:32)
I think first is to educate your your, your fellow and fellow co workers and at the shop floor, you know, we have to meet them where they’re at. And for us in neighbor, we have to meet them at the shop floor, you know, we have to discuss it too. And we also have to discuss with them some of the hypocrisy within our own union as well.
You know, I me as a 27 year teamster rank and file, you know, I have a general president who said he has a problem with undocumented workers, but he used to he used the right wing terminology that I hate to use, that they come here to steal jobs, and to commit crime, and hasn’t taken a position on Palestine. He does. He went on a on a news station, and they asked him a left left news station.
And they asked him and he didn’t he didn’t want to give an answer, you know, so he it’s it’s about calling out those those hypocrisies when it comes to our fellow co workers and say, Look, if we believe in solidarity, that’s, that’s our core tenet, that we have to be in, we have to be in solidarity with with undocumented workers here are immigrant, working class and with the Palestinians. And this starts with Okay, it starts with, excuse me, it starts with, with education and engaging and educating. Okay, okay.
(21:33 – 22:43)
Jose Francisco Negrete, Miriam Argandewal of Labor for Palestine. Thank you so much for being on Law and Disorder this morning. Gracias.
Thank you. Solidarity. You’ve been listening to Law and Disorder, a podcast where we expose the cracks in our system, agitate for resistance and collectively build a new world in which all of us can thrive.
That’s it for this episode, family. You can find more information about topics and guests in this episode show notes. Law and Disorder is produced at KPFA, that’s listener supported radio on the Pacifica Network.
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