Category Archives: BDS

Judge Unconstitutionally Muzzles ALAA UAW Local 2325 Membership Vote on Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza and a Free Palestine 

Posted on November 17, 2023 | Comments Off on Judge Unconstitutionally Muzzles ALAA UAW Local 2325 Membership Vote on Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza and a Free Palestine 

PDF with links: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JDzXEgwFpGlAB4gFCvqoP88YKV22Qk-Z/view

FROM RANK AND FILE MEMBERS OF ALAA UAW 2325 

For Immediate Release: November 17, 2023 

Contact: UAW 2325 Labor For Palestine at alaaforpalestine@gmail.com 

Judge Unconstitutionally Muzzles ALAA UAW Local 2325 Membership Vote on Resolution Calling for Ceasefire in Gaza and a Free Palestine 

Late this afternoon, in a desperate, last-minute attempt to silence opposition to the Israeli genocide in Gaza, Nassau County Supreme Court Judge Felice J. Muraca issued a blatantly unconstitutional Temporary Restraining Order barring ALAA UAW Local 2325, which represents approximately 2,700 legal and social service workers, from completing a membership vote on a Resolution Calling for a Ceasefire in Gaza, an End to the Israeli Occupation of Palestine, and Support for Workers’ Political Speech. 

This unprecedented free speech violation was sought by plaintiffs Diane T. Clark, Ilana Kopmar, Isaac Altman, and Davis Rosenfeld, who exemplify a two-decade long censorship campaign against Palestinian rights advocacy at The Legal Aid Society of New York and in UAW 2325. The order was enabled by the rightwing New York Post, and by management at Legal Aid and New York Legal Assistance Group, who all publicly smeared the union resolution as “antisemitic.” As a result, one of our members was doxxed based on a pro-Palestine message she sent to our union’s internal mailing list. 

On November 16, one day before the scheduled union vote, management at the Legal Aid Society (LAS) released a public statement and held a town hall meeting in which they smeared the ALAA resolution, calling it anti-Semitic to discourage members from voting in favor of the resolution. At that meeting, when pushed by members to identify any anti-Semitic statements in the resolution, LAS management pointed to the following language: “in the occupation of Palestine” and “we stand for human rights and against apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.” Far from being anti-Semitic, this language aligns with human rights organizations across the world in their assessment of Israel’s conduct in Palestine. 

On the day of the union vote, management at the New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) sent a similar all-staff email urging union members to vote no, blasting the resolution as “anti-Semitic” and threatening that it could cause the organization to lose funding. This sentiment was reiterated in their public statement released later the same day. 

In their actions, LAS and NYLAG management resorted to fear-mongering in their attempt to silence critiques of Israel by mislabeling them as anti-Semitic—a dishonest, though unfortunately widespread, practice. In doing so, they reflected that their allegiance to corporate funders takes higher priority than the organizations’ stated missions of progressive public defense. 

“We, as union members, are appalled by managements’ interference in union activities, and

certain members’ anti-labor and anti-democratic actions, to stoke fear in voting members. Such conduct has exposed individual members to the threat of doxxing and further harm. They have also dangerously and falsely conflated anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism,” said Dany Greene, member of ALAA UAW Local 2325. 

“As public defenders representing the most demonized and oppressed communities in the United States—poor, criminalized, immigrant, Black, and Indigenous people—we are familiar with how the U.S. political establishment legitimizes state violence against our communities through courts, prisons, police, deportations, evictions, family policing, and the media,” said Yosmin Badie, member of ALAA UAW Local 2325. “We recognize these same tactics at work in Israel’s 75-year occupation and its apartheid laws enforced by Israel’s military and increasingly fascist court system, and supported by U.S. tax dollars.” 

Accordingly, it is our duty to heed the urgent call by Palestinian trade unions for organized workers worldwide “to end all forms of complicity with Israel’s crimes.” In response, the rank and file members of UAW 2325 drafted a resolution. The resolution was passed by a vote of 108-13-8 in the ALAA Joint Council, composed of delegates from local shops’ chapters, on November 14, 2023 to bring the resolution to a wider membership vote. 

“We are outraged by this complicity with Israeli genocide in Gaza and the rest of Palestine, and subversion of democratic trade unionism,” said Daniel Kim, member of ALAA UAW Local 2325. In the face of illegal censorship, we Rank and File ALAA 2325 members recommit to standing with Palestinian trade unions and workers worldwide in the fight for a free Palestine.

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Posted in BDS, UAW 2325 (ALAA)

UAW Rank and File BDS Sign-On Letter

Posted on October 27, 2023 | Comments Off on UAW Rank and File BDS Sign-On Letter

Sign-onto this open letter:

UAW Members         Unions and Community Organizations          Community Members

Dear UAW International and Fellow Unionists,

We, rank-and-file members of the UAW and allied community members/organizations, stand unequivocally in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Following the call by Palestinian Trade Unionists to end complicity in their oppression, we call upon workers everywhere, our union leadership, and the UAW International to demand an immediate end to Israel’s brutal siege and bombardment of Gaza and all military funding going toward Israel.

We watch with horror as the U.S. sends American troops to assist in an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. We mourn the loss of civilian life. We categorically reject U.S. support of the murderous Israeli regime in its ongoing genocide of Palestinians, which has killed over 7,000 people and injured 16,000 more in airstrikes since October 7, and has cut off water, food, and power to Gaza’s population. We stand in solidarity with Palestinian workers who have renewed their call for academic institutions and unions worldwide to stand with the Palestinian people.

We call on the UAW to endorse and implement the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) call from Palestinian civil society, which urges nonviolent pressure on Israel until it “meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by:

  1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall
  2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
  3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.”

Historically, the U.S. labor movement has failed the Palestinian people. For instance, the American Federation of Labor (AFL) advocated for and helped finance the construction of Zionist settlements, directly contributing to the displacement of Palestinians. It is a moral imperative for us to acknowledge this history and push the labor movement to act on the side of Palestinian liberation. Advocating for a BDS resolution is also directly tied to our material interests; workers in the U.S. are struggling against many of the same capitalist forces that maintain and bolster the Israeli occupation of Palestine. These forces rely on racialized exploitation, dispossession, and policing in the United States and around the world. As argued by the League of Revolutionary Black Workers and Arab Workers Caucus of the UAW, a global class of workers will not achieve liberation if fragmented by colonization, apartheid, and borders. These are the structures on which an ascendant global fascist movement is shoring up white supremacy, nativism, militarism, heteropatriarchy, and other tools of oppression to further divide us. No longer will we stand for investments that aid in the genocide of Palestinians.

As members of the labor movement, we call on U.S. labor unions to cut all ties with Israeli unions. We call on the AFL-CIO to terminate its relationship with the Israeli Histadrut. We additionally call on U.S. unions and our employers to divest from Israeli bonds and from the military, extractive, and technological industries connected with the Israeli occupation and U.S. imperialism. Furthermore, we demand that the UAW International and AFL-CIO immediately convey to the United States government a demand to halt all aid and military support to Israel. Failure to do so amounts to organized labor’s complicity with, and support for, the ongoing genocide.

We further demand that the UAW and our locals protect workers who engage in pro-Palestine speech and advocacy—particularly Palestinian, Muslim, and Arab workers—from doxxing, surveillance, and repression within the workplace. Additionally, the UAW must not overturn democratic decisions made by the rank-and-file, as it did when UAW 2865, UAW 2322, and GSOC-UAW 2110 voted to support BDS in solidarity with the Palestinian people in 2014 and 2016, respectively.

As unionists, we must always stand on the side of justice, both in word and in deed. In light of Israel’s recent intensification of attacks on Palestine as well as the past 75 years of Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people, we stand firmly in solidarity with the struggle for Palestinian liberation. Already, UAW members have spoken out, joined marches, and walked out in support of Palestinian liberation. We will continue fighting for the liberation of the Palestinian people and we commit to taking direct action against the occupation in the coming weeks, including educating our colleagues on the occupation, disrupting the military industrial complex, standing with anyone in our workplaces facing retaliation for their activism around Palestinian liberation, and, if necessary, striking in our workplaces.

Until Liberation and Return,

UAW Members

Anila Gill, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Peter Gaughan, UAW 2320 — NOLSW – Staff Association
Benjamin Kersten, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Rachel Hoerger, UAW 2320 — NOLSW-BALAW
Raj Chaklashiya, UAW 2865 — Santa Barbara
Daniel Kim , UAW 2325 — Bronx defenders
Martha Grevatt, UAW 869
Asil Yassine , UAW 2865 — UCLA
Ary Smith, UAW 2320 — NULAW
Pooja Patel, UAW 2335 — CAMBA Legal Services Workers United
Austin D Bowes, UAW 2110 — New Museum of Contemporary Art
Hazem Jamjoum, UAW 2010 — NYU-GSOC
Michael Letwin, Former President, UAW Local 2325; Labor for Palestine
Christopher Viola, UAW 22
Isaac Stokka, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Jasmin Tabatabaee, UAW 2110 — New Museum of Contemporary Art
Miriam Schachter , UAW 2325 — ALAA
Jessica Coffrin-St. Julien, UAW 2325 — Bronx Defenders Union
Muhammad Yousuf, UAW 2865 — San Diego
Ron Lare, UAW 600
Aparna Gopalan, UAW 5118
Dylan Kupsh, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Michael Gradess, UAW 2325 — The Bronx Defenders Union
Daria Reaven , UAW 2110 — NYU GSOC
Lavanya Nott, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Matthew Ehrlich, UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Ruiyang Zhang, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Ricky Sanchez, UAW 5118 — HGSU-UAW
Madeline Weisburg, UAW 2110 — New Museum
Bailey Thomas, UAW 2325 — CAMBA legal Service workers united
Jessica Jiang, UAW 2865 — Berkeley
Patricia Manos, UAW 5118 — HGSU-UAW
Jeppe Ugelvig, UAW 2865 — UCSC
Jared Sacks, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
Cristian Avila, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Benjamin Gaillard-Garrido, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Nirvana Shahriar, UAW 2865 — Santa Barbara
Hazem Fahmy, UAW 2710
Nico Grace, UAW 7902 — New School Student Workers Union (NewSWU)
Amber Kela Chong, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Ioanna Kourkoulou, UAW 2710
Caitlin Blanchfield , UAW 2110 — student workers of columbia
Zachary Hicks , UAW 2865
Matt Hing, UAW 2865
Rebecca Morgan , UAW 2320 — NOLSW, Legal Aid Services of Oregon Workers Union
Ryan H, UAW 2865
Zachary Clarence, UAW 2179
Emilie S. Tumale, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Tommy George, UAW 5118 — HGSU-UAW
Megan Riley, UAW 2865
Spencer Tilger, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Nicolette D’Angelo, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Zho Ragen, UAW 4121
Michael Mirer, UAW 2865
Harrison S, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Lily Jue Sheng, UAW 2010
José G. Miranda, UAW 2320 — IRAP Workers United
Aida M., UAW 2865
Brianna Lavelle , UAW 2865
Gray Golding, UAW 2865
Kendrick Manymules, UAW 2865
Barrett Cortellesi, UAW 259
Nils J, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Samyu Comandur, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Jessica Brown , UAW 2110
Rachel Fox, UAW 2865
Arundhati Velamur , UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Lara Russo, UAW 2325 — Association of Legal said Attorneys
Matt Daunt, UAW — NYURU
Johanna Rothe , UAW 2865
Frank Hammer, UAW 909 — GM Warren MI
Bri Reddick, UAW 2865
Sarah Dinkelacker , UAW 2110
Marini Thorne, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
Pamela Perrimon, GSWOC-UAW — USC
Marlaina S, UAW 5810
Hamsini Sridharan , GSWOC-UAW
Yi Lin Zhou, UAW 5118 — HGSU-UAW
Tarang Saluja, UAW Local 2322 — GEO at UMass Amherst
Charli Muller, UAW 2110 & 7902 — NYU GSOC & New School PTF union ACT-UAW
Grant Stover, UAW 509
Elizabeth Sawyer, UAW 2110 — ACLU
Or Pansky, UAW 2110 — NYU GSOC
Robert Carey, UAW 4100
Sonia Roubini, UAW 2325
Yassaman Rahimi, UAW 2865
Sophia Gurulé, UAW 2325
Erik Hazard, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Maya Alper, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Daad S., UAW 2325
Anthony Stoner, UAW 2865 — Riverside
Gordon Beeferman, UAW 7902 — NYU
Anthony M Triola , UAW 2865 — Irvine
Tausif Noor, UAW 2865 — UAW UC Berkeley
Brenden Ross, UAW 2320 — LSSA 2320
Christopher Geary, UAW 2865 — Berkeley
Vincent Doehr, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Alexis Aceves Garcia, UAW 2865
Mirella Deniz-Zaragoza, UAW 2865
Raghvi Bhatia, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Liam Moore, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Meesh Fradkin, UAW 9A — NYU
Swarnabh Ghosh, UAW 5118 — HGSU-UAW
Erika Barbosa, UAW 2865 — UCSD
Alex Jackman, UAW 2325 — ALAA Legal Aid
Thomas Connell, UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Leila M. , UAW 2010
Fred DeVeaux, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Melinda Butterfield , UAW 2320 — National Organization of Legal Services Workers
Rachel Lindy, UAW 2325 — OAD
Rocio Rivera , UAW 2865
Lauren Textor, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Samia Saliba, UAW — GSWOC-USC
Nadeem Mansour, UAW 2710
Ross Hernández , UAW 2865
Hannah Kagan-Moore, UAW 2865 — SB
Marlene G Marte , UAW 2325
Jackson Kuklin, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Leonard Butingan, UAW 2865
Yair Agmon, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Yulia Gilich, UAW 2865 — UAW 2865 Santa Cruz
Gabriela Flores, UAW 2865
Reema Saad, UAW 2865 — UC Davis
Alice M., UAW 2320
Sabrina Habchi, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Samantha Abbott, UAW 2865 — Davis
LN, UAW 2865
Claire Gavin, UAW 2325
Adam Moore, UAW 2865
Melina R. , UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Drew Westaway, UAW 182
Nathanael Joseph, UAW 2865 — UC Irvine
Kaylee-Allyssa Roberts Larson, UAW 2865 — UCSC
Ryan McMillan, UAW 5118
Rebecca Waxman, UAW 2865
Kathleen Cash , UAW 2320
Erin Miller, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Rammy Salem, UAW 2865 — UC Santa Barbara
Deren Ertas, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Christopher Fasano, UAW 2320
Destina Bermejo, UAW 2865 — Merced
Charles Gelman, UAW 7902 — NYU Adjuncts
Jessica Peña , UAW 2865 — UCLA
Sabrina Habchj, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Aaron Benedetti, UAW 2865
Caleb Schimke, GSWOC-UAW — USC
Gabriel Woolls, UAW 2865
Tascha Shahriari-Parsa, UAW 5118
Alexi Shalom, UAW 2325
Jocelyn Yang, UAW 2110
Jessie Rubin , UAW Local 2710 — SWC
Rebecca Wong, UAW 2865
Corina Copp, GSWOC-UAW
Anthony Kim, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Emma Roth, UAW 2324
Stewart Stout, UAW 2110
Anthony Stoner, UAW 2865 — Riverside
Willa Smart, UAW 2865
Katrina T. , UAW 2110
Kerry Keith, UAW 2865 — San Diego
Evan Lemire, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Tyler P., UAW 2865
Khirad Siddiqui, UAW 2865 — Irvine
Joanna Lee-Brown, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
Ali Blake, UAW — Boston College Graduate Employees Union
Maya Misra, UAW 2865
Marcus Knoke, UAW 5118 — HUWU-UAW
Natalie Goncharov, UAW 2320 — NOLSW-LSSA
Lindsey Ortega, UAW 2865
Arlo Fosburg, UAW 2865
Jenny Lee, UAW 1069 — GETUP-UAW
Vish Soroushian, UAW 2320
Aisha Zaman, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Koby L., UAW 5118 — HGSU
Sammy Feldblum, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Hannah Walsh , UAW 2325
Anna Derby, UAW 2322 — UMass-GEO
Rui Liu , UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Julian de Gortari, UAW 2865
Liana Goff, UAW 2320 — LSSA-Mobilization for Justice shop
Nadja Eisenberg-Guyot, UAW 4100 — CPU-UAW
Sachinthya Wagaarachchi, UAW 2865
Chandler Hart-McGonigle, UAW 2325
Katsyris Rivera Kientz, UAW 1596 — Region 9A
Dinah Luck, Local 2320 — LSSA (MFJ shop)
Hanbyul Jenny Kang, UAW 2110 — NYU GSOC
Yasmine Benabdallah, UAW 2865 — Santa Cruz
Yosmin Badie, UAW 2325
Claire Stottlemyer, UAW 2325 — ALAA Legal Aid NYC
Roxanne Houman, UAW 2710
Nena Hedrick , UAW 2865 — UCSC
Dana Kopel, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Tatum H. , UAW 2865
Denish Jaswal, UAW 5118
Kevin schwenkler, UAW 2865 — ucsd graduate student workers
Jack Davies, UAW 2865 — Santa Cruz
Rosa Navarro, UAW 2865 — UC Santa Cruz
Navruz Baum, UAW 2325 — NYLAG
Fletcher Nickerson, UAW 2865
Ben Bieser, UAW 2865 — Irvine
Leemah Nasrati, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Clare Canavan, UAW 5118
David Soper, UAW 2865
Ali M. Ugurlu, UAW 2710 — SWC
Maxwell Hellmann , UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Cherí Kruse , UAW 2865 — Berkeley
Max Greenberg, UAW 2322 — UMass GEO
Mithra Lehn, UAW 7902 — SENS
Amelia Spooner, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
K Jacobson, UAW 2865 — UCSD
Megan Spencer, UAW 2865
Natalie May, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Eesha K, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Jackson Tham, UAW 2325
Elisabeth Koch, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Sophie Wilkowske , UAW 5118 — Harvard-HGSU
Rosie Stockton, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Ignacia Lolas Ojeda, UAW 2325 — The Bronx Defenders Union – UAW Local 2325
Nastaran Far, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Ignacia Lolas Ojeda, UAW 2325
Adithya Gungi , UAW 2710 — SWC
Annie Powers, UAW 2865 — Los Angelea
Carson Greene, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Sierra E., UAW 2865
Shanaz Chowdhury , UAW — LAS
Joe Riley, UAW 2865
Ella Nalepka, UAW 2325 — The Bronx Defenders Union
Christy A., UAW 2865
Jonathan Ben-Menachem, UAW 2710
Magally Miranda, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Abby Richburg, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Aaron Katzeman, UAW 2865
Claire Valdez, UAW 2110 — Columbia University
Emily Ortiz , UAW 2865
Kyle Galindez, UAW 2865 — Santa Cruz
Anna Robinson-Sweet, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Sam Heller, UAW 4123 — CSU Academic Student Workers
Elizabeth Ross, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Sarah Mason, UAW 2865
Daniel Owen, UAW 2865
Whitney Braunstein, UAW 2325 — The Bronx Defenders Union
Emily Janakiram, UAW 2110
Cameron Foltz, UAW 2710
Helen Bolton, UAW 2110 — Center for Reproductive Rights Union
Kevin Cruz, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Kristy Palomares, UAW 5810 — UC Irvine
Camila Valdivieso, UAW 2320 — BALAW
David Klassen, UAW Local 7902 — NYU adjuntcs
Tony C., UAW 2865
Zachory Nowosadzki, UAW 2325 — ALAA
AP Pierce, UAW 2865 — UC Santa Barbara
Oliver Lazarus, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Alex Garnick, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Marisa Borreggine, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Heather R., UAW 2865
Michael Malloy , UAW 2350
Brandon Cunningham , UAW 2320
Toby Smith, UAW 2865/5810 — Davis
Andreas P., UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Jake Orbison, UAW 2865 — Berkeley
Kelsey Weymouth-Little, UAW 2865
Marie Buck, UAW 7902 — NYU—adjuncts
Kai Nham, UAW 2865
Stephanie Martinez, UAW 2865 — San Diego
Antony Wood, UAW 2865
Salima Koshy, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Maritza Geronimo, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Kendall Rallins, UAW 2865
Ngozi Harrison, UAW 2865
Rachel Himes, UAW 2710 — SWC – Students Workers of Columbia
Jonah Inserra, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Siddharth J, UAW 2865
Fabiola Carranza, UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Bailey Plaman, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Olu D. , UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Ja Bulsombut, UAW 2865
Jenn DiSanto, UAW 2865 — UCSF GSR
Aaron Berman, UAW 7902 — SENS-UAW
Ethan Friedland, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Nora Carroll, UAW 2325 — ALAA (Association of Legal Aid Attorneys)
Monica Panzarino, UAW 7902 — ACT-UAW
Emily Janakiram, UAW 2110
Christina M Ruiz, UAW 5810 — UC Irvine
Maren Karlson, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Sunny Chen, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Cesar Bowley Castillo, UAW 2865 — University of California, Los Angeles
Carol Darleny Larancuent, UAW 2325
Gregoria Olson, UAW 2865 — UC Berkeley
Michael Wasney, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Colin Vanderburg, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Piril Nergis, UAW 509 — USC-GSWOC
Ana Iwataki, USC GSWOC-UAW — USC GSWOC-UAW
Johannah King-Slutzky, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
Ina Morton, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Bella seppi, UAW Region 6 — UAF-AGWA
Michael Ernst, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Katrina T. , UAW 2110
Sarah Halabe, UAW 2865
Andrew Bergman, UAW 5118 — HGSU
John King, UAW 7902 — ACT-UAW 7902 at NYU
Semassa Boko, UAW 2865 — UC Irvine
Daniel Arcand, UAW 2865 — UCSD
Leonardo Vilchis-Zarate, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Katherine Funes, UAW 2865
jaime ding, UAW 2865
Alice Wang, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Sarah C., UAW 2865
Jennifer L., UAW 2110
Irene D, UAW 2865
Jarred Brewster, UAW 2865 — UCLA GSA
James Karabin, UAW 2865 — UC Santa Cruz
Zaynab Mahmood, UAW 2865
Kathleen Cash, UAW 2320
Sophie Wilkowske, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Grant Leuning, UAW 2865
Mariko Whitenack, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Emily Whalen , UAW 2325 — BDS
Cameron Dunphy , UAW 3520
Amed Galo Lopez, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Ramona A., UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Melissa Smyth, UAW 2325 — Neighborhood Defender Service
Madeleine Roepe, UAW 2865
Victoria Tran, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Nabil Hassein, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Ahmed Mitiche, UAW 2710
Tamar Ghabin, UAW 2110 — NYU GSOC
K Persinger, UAW 2865 — Riverside
Dana Zofia Flicker, UAW 2865
Sudipta Saha, UAW 5118
Carolin Huang, UAW 2865 — Irvine
Iris Ramirez , UAW 2865
Carol Darleny Larancuent, UAW 2325
Paul Brown, UAW 2710
Danica Radoshevich , UAW 1596
Joanna Lee-Brown, UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia
Michael O’Brien, UAW 5118
Conrad B. , UAW 2325 — The Bronx Defenders Union
Rurik Asher Baumrin, UAW 2325
Natalie Robertson , UAW 2865 — Davis
Jake Scarponi, UAW 2322 — WPI-GWU
Kourtney Nham, UAW 2865
Noah Pinkham, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Allison Rosen, UAW 509
Thalia Ertman, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Noor Al-Sharif, UAW 5810 — UCLA
Diego Ayala , UAW 2865 — UC Berkeley
Mason Smith, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Anisa Jackson, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Maggie Davis, UAW — USC
Adam Cooper, UAW 2865 — San Diego
Frances H., UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Kira Pratt, UAW 2010 — NYU-GSOC
Nia Abram, UAW 2110
Alex Ferrer, UAW 2865
Olivia Ortiz, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
james d sirigotis, UAW 2865 — ucsc
Ethan Hill, UAW 2865
Kirt Mausert, UAW 2865 — UC Berkeley
Benjamin W., UAW 2865 — UCLA
Gabriel Flores, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Rebecca M., UAW 2110
Akshay Ragupathy , UAW 2710
Robin Gabriel , UAW 2865 — UCSC
Naomi Schachter, UAW 2325
Eric Cohn, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Aiza K., UAW 2865 — UCLA
Marilia Kaisar , UAW 2865 — UCSC
Brian Allen, UAW 7902
Athena G, UAW 2865
Johnathon Vargas, UAW 2865 — UCSD
Samantha Griggs, UAW 2865 — UCR
Noam Chen-Zion, UAW 2710
Bineh Ndefru , UAW 2865
Palashi V, UAW 5810
michelle chang, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Christopher L., UAW 2865
Lauren Palmieri, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Emily Janakiram , UAW 2110
Wilson Hammett, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Cooper Lynn, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Naima Karczmar, UAW 2865
Rebecca Angela Ruiz, UAW 2865 — UC Irvine ASE
Jason Butters, UAW 2710
Geroline Castillo, UAW 2320 — NOLSW
Wes Wise, GSWOC-UAW — USC Grad Student Workers
Da In Choi, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Summer Sloane-Britt, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Francis Galang, UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Isik Kaya, UAW 2865
Robbie Trocchia , UAW 2865
Sasha K., UAW 2865 — UCLA
William Guerrero, UAW 2865
Doga Tekin, UAW 2865 — UCLA
Matt Schneider, UAW 2865
Leslie H., UAW 2865 — UCSB
Aaron Posner, UAW 7902
Cybele Kappos, UAW 2865
Michael Buse, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Michael Rowley, UAW 2325 — CAMBA LEGAL SERVICES WORKERS UNITED AFL-CIO
Cristina Awadalla, UAW 2865 — UCSB
Annika Berry, UAW 2865 — Santa Cruz
Aviva Galpert, UAW 2325 — ALAA
Tanvee Trehan, UAW 2320
Amanda B Parmer, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Sidrah Marotti, UAW 2865
Charlotte Minsky, UAW 5118
Jeremy Montano, UAW 2325 — ALAA
Anna Haynie, GSWOC-UAW — USC
Josh Turner, UAW 2865 — UC Davis
Aditi Kini , UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Elena Peterman, UAW 2865 — UC Berkeley
Andrew Brown, UAW 4121
Ifeanyi Awachie, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Flavia Maria Lake , UAW 2865 — UCLA
Vincent Doehr, UAW 2865
Rayyan Mikati, ACT-UAW 7902 — Sens-UAW Local 7902
Ruwa Alhayek, UAW 2710 — SWC
Edward Painter, UAW 2865
Adithya Gungi, UAW 2710 — SWC
James Huynh, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Emi B., UAW 2865 — Davis
Dimitri D., UAW 2865
Bryan Ziadie, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Meredith Durbin, UAW 5810 — Berkeley
Jonah Gray, UAW 2865 — UCSD
Oya Gursoy, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Zachary Valdez, UAW 2110 — Columbia University Support Staff
Ellis Garey, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Cathy Román, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Jordan Victorian, UAW 2865
Jason Butters, UAW 2710 — SWC
Isabel Duron, UAW 2865
Max Grear, UAW 2710 — SWC
Peter VanNostrand, UAW 2322 — WPI-GWU
Susanna Collinson, UAW 2865
Aiko Dzikowski, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Nicholas Hu, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Kate Metcalf, UAW 2865 — San Diego
Caroline Bowman, UAW Region 9A — NYU Researchers United
Adam Gill, GSWOC-UAW
Roberta Dousa, UAW 2865
Clara Lingle, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
William Sánchez, UAW 2865
Aaron Posner, UAW 7902
Sarah Z Ahmed , UAW 7902 — NYU Adjuncts Union
john king, ACT-UAW 7902 — NYU
Vandhana Ravi, UAW 2865
Elsy El Khoury , UAW 4100 — Columbia Postdoctoral Workers
Edward Berdan, UAW 2865
Mehrnush Golriz, UAW 2865
Eric Maron, UAW 186
Emmy Cantos , UAW 2320
Antony Wood, UAW 285
Walker Hewitt, UAW 2865
Sal Suri , UAW 5118 — HGSU
Kimberly Yu, UAW 2865
Ashley Guzman, UAW 2325
Patrick R Forrester, UAW 5118 — HGSU
Alyssa W., UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Nohely Guzman, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
A P, UAW 2110 — NYU GSOC
Sophia Sambrano, UAW 2850 — Los Angeles
Isabel Bartholomew, UAW 2865 — UC Irvine
Paul Werner, UAW 7902 — ACT-UAW NYU
Madison Bowers, UAW 2320
Andrea Lara-Garcia , UAW 2865 — Berkeley
TJ Shin, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Junho Peter Yoon, UAW Local 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Sakura Price, UAW 2865
Burcu Bugu, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Kimberly Soriano, UAW 2865 — UCSB
Magdalena Donea, UAW 2865 — San Diego
David Borgonjon, UAW 2710 — SWC
Ben Berners-Lee, UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Lucas Koerner, UAW 5118
Sophie Friedman-Pappas, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Calypso Taylor, UAW 2325 — UAW Local 2325 – NDS
Elliot White, UAW 2865
Janel Pineda, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Kelsey Kim, UAW 2865
Toly Rinberg, UAW 5118
Hala Al Shami, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Miguel Castaneda , UAW 2865 — UC San Diego
Ana Howe Bukowski, UAW-GSWOC — USC
Jonathan V., UAW 2865
Aman Williams, UAW 2110 — NYU-GSOC
Peter Racioppo, UAW 2865 — Los Angeles
Alexia P., UAW 2710 — Student Workers of Columbia

Community Members

Sona, NYU Alumni ’23
Gladys M. Jiménez-Muñoz, UUP Binghamton University Chapter
Cami Dominguez
Diana Filar
Demetrius Tien, UC Irvine
Julie Nguyen
Eric Patel, IWW NYC
John Wellman
Louisa Chang
alexis roberto
Nezar Eltal
Xander Percy, Teamsters Local 449
Noha
Colleen Asper
Eirene Tsolidis Noyce, Australian Services Union Victorian Branch
Mudassir Mayet
Sam Karnes, NYU Law Student
Meera Jaffrey, JVP North Jersey
Marco de Laforcade
Rania Kanazi, NYU
Neil Rudis , RN
Francesca Altamura, Former UAW Local 2110 member
Lauren Textor, UAW graduate
Claudia Benincasa, Past UAW 1596 Member
Sarah Chaudhry, ALAA
Jasmin L., Student, 2023
Jonathan Tan, OPEIU Local 153
Lucas kane , Member of NYC Local 30
Ala’ Qadi, Algonquin College Faculty Union, Local 415, Second VP
Ryan C Taylor
Clue Quilala
Clancy Murray, GET-UP UAW
Babatunde Salaam, IBEW Local 24
Elizabeth Tommey , UCLA Alumni
Amelia Baxter
John Hammond, PSC-CUNY/AFT
Evan Sakuma, UC Berkeley TDPS PhD student
Sam Malabre, UC-AFT Los Angeles Chapter and UAW 2865 (retired membership status)
Narmin Jivani, NYU Wagner Grad Student & Tutor
Dave Lindorff, founding editor of ThisCantBeHappening.net
Adil Hussain
Tirthankar Ghosh, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers
Sophie Drukman-Feldstein
Sofya Aptekar, PSC-CUNY
Tiana Reid
Hassan Ahmad
Vick Baker, NPEU
Terra Poirier, Non-Regular & Unifor 3000
Riddhi S. Patel, environmental and labor justice organizer, Kern County, CA
Stephen Sheehi
Farah Khimji, 1199SEIU UHE
Leandra Williams
Danielle Gartenberg, Hunter college, Urban Planning
S.Krauss
Claire Glass
Cole Papadopoulos , NPEU, IFPTE 70
Giacomo Bianchino, Professional Staff Congress
Nantina Vgontzas, PSC-CUNY
Jessica Enriquez
Ashleigh Wellman
Mateen Bahai, UCLA SJP
Marina Aina
Alia ElKattan, UAW Local 2110
Baraa Abu Ghalyoun, SJP Operating Board Member
Ru Mehendale
Beezer de Martelly, UAW 2865 alum
Shreya Chowdhary, University of Michigan GEO
Sheila Kulkarni, International Delegate, UAW 2865 Santa Barbara
Lucy Briggs
Jennifer Austiff, HGSU-UAW, Local 5118 (2023)
Nate Landry , East Bay DSA
Hilary Rasch, Training Coordinator, IATSE Local 161
Yaheya Quazi
Paul Rho, Pratt Institute
Mohammad Shafi
Raphe Gilliam
Kyla Mace, GETUP-UAW (pre-certification)
Rachel Besharah, Unifor 2025
Alex Mireles, UAW 2636
Timothy Workman, RAWR CWA Local 9415
Anna Dang
Michaela Telfer
Medha G
Grace Manalo
Laura Martin , Former member of UAW 2865, current member of AFT
Devyn Mañibo
Emily Bleijerveld
Taylor
Rebekah Woelkers
Olivia Leiter, AFSCME Local 126
M.C. Overholt, GET-UP UPenn
Anthony Lakey
Jaz Brisack, Workers United Upstate NY & VT (in individual capacity)
Kari Litteer, NPEU IFPTE Local 70
Dan Beeton, NPEU
Margaret Barbosa
Sam Jaser, NYU Admin
Nader Salem
David Bragin, Jewish Voice for Peace
Carolina Poveda
Sally Jane Gellert
Yazen Nasr
Jodie Doherty, Labor Advocate
Omar Simjee
ARG, Community
Jacob G.
Sal Tuszynski, OPEIU Local 153
Kelly Tran
Lara Sheehi
Marla Hoffman, NYS Court Clerks Association
MT
Tayler Hall
Prahas Rudraraju
Reno Garcia, UCLA Graduate Student
Breanne Sparta, UCLA
Ferris Tseng, Nava United, OPEIU Local 1010
Tai-Ge Min
Shira , MORE / UFT
Emma Hartung
Saurav Sarkar, NWU
Naima Kalra
Zuri Gordon, NYU
R. M. Aranda
Annie Powers
Jeff Schuhrke, UUP-AFT 2190
Sanaa Sayani
Ghaliah Fakhoury
Liam Maher, AFT Local 6290
Daniella D’Acquisto
Shaye Skiff, FOE Workers United
Ryna Workman, NYU Law 2024
Conner Glynn
Ayman Ahmad, SBCC
A. Ahmed, Communications Workers of America (CWA)
Elizabeth Tang, IFPTE Local 70
Chrysanthemum George, IAMAW Local 4538
Paris VanHoozer
Basma Radwan
Brett Daniels, Amazon Labor Union, Democratic Reform Caucus
Amber Chong

Unions and Community Organizations

National Students for Justice in Palestine
Rank and File for a Democratic Union (UAW 2865)
Pan-Arab Decolonial Feminist Collective
BIPOCanalysis Collective
Nevada County Mutual Aid
The Young Democratic Socialists of America at the University of Michigan
Occupy Bergen County (New Jersey)
UC Berkeley Graduate Students for Justice in Palestine

Last Updated October 31, 2023, at 10:00 PM. Signature Order is randomized.

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Posted in BDS, Gaza, UAW

U.S. Labor Must Stand With Palestine! (Updated Endorsers)

Posted on May 15, 2021 | Comments Off on U.S. Labor Must Stand With Palestine! (Updated Endorsers)


ENDORSE // DONATE

U.S. Labor Must Stand With Palestine!
Labor for Palestine, Nakba Day, May 15, 2021

As workers, labor, and anti-apartheid activists, we join millions around the world to unequivocally condemn Israel’s genocidal attacks on the Palestinian people: mass evictions in the Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan neighborhoods of Jerusalem, storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque, waves of state-sponsored violence throughout the West Bank and the ’48 areas (stolen from Palestine in 1948), and merciless bombardment of Gaza that has already killed and wounded hundreds of people, many of them children.

Recent reports by B’Tselem and Human Rights Watch only belatedly acknowledge what Palestinians have always said: this is not an “Arab-Israeli conflict,” an “Israel-Hamas war,” “communal clashes,” or a “civil war,” but rather another chapter in more than a century of Zionist settler-colonialism — as symbolized by Israel’s very establishment through the uprooting and ethnic cleansing of over 750,000 Palestinians during the 1948 Nakba (“Our Catastrophe”), whose 73rd anniversary is today, May 15, 2021.

These crimes are only possible because of $3.8 billion a year (or $10+ million *per day*) in bipartisan US military aid that gives Israel the guns, bullets, tanks, ships, jet fighters, missiles, helicopters, white phosphorus and other weapons to kill and maim the Palestinian people.

This is the same system of racist state violence that — with direct Israeli support — brutalizes BIPOC and working class people in the United States and around the world. With Israel’s knee on their neck, Palestinians can’t breathe since 1948, and we unconditionally stand with their resistance in all parts of Palestine, just as they have stood with our struggles for Black and Brown Lives, Standing Rock, migrant rights, and beyond. 

We urge workers and labor bodies in the US to join the growing mass protests against apartheid Israel, and to support the Day of Action in Solidarity with the Palestinian Uprising and General Strike: Tuesday, May 18. We uplift the Italian dockworkers who refused to ship weapons to Israel on April 14, thereby answering the urgent May 13 appeal for international solidarity, signed by Palestinian trade unions, to support the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS).

BDS is inspired by the worldwide divestment campaign that helped topple apartheid South Africa, and reflects decades of Palestinian boycott and mobilization against Israeli colonization. It requires not only an end to the 1967 Israeli occupation, but an end to Israeli occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall, full equality for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and implementation of the right of Palestinian refugees to return. 

On this 73rd anniversary of Nakba Day, as Palestinians courageously resist brutal Israeli attack, we urge the labor movement to respect the BDS picket line by:

• Endorsing BDS, along with UAW 2865, the Connecticut AFL-CIO, the United Electrical Workers, IWW, and other US labor bodies, and with labor organizations around the world, who have already done so.

• Ending, once and for all, US labor officialdom’s long and shameful complicity in Zionism by divesting labor bodies from Israel Bonds, and severing all ties with Israel’s racist labor federation, the Histadrut, and its US mouthpiece, the Jewish Labor Committee.

• Mobilizing our collective power at the workplace, as demonstrated by dockers in South Africa, India, Sweden, Norway, Turkey, Italy, the ILWU on the West Coast of the United States who have refused to handle Israeli cargo, and AROC’s Block the Boat campaign against an upcoming Zim Lines arrival at the Oakland Port.

AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN INJURY TO ALL: 
FROM THE RIVER TO THE SEA, PALESTINE WILL BE FREE!
________________________________

On behalf of Labor for Palestine
(organizational affiliations listed for identification only)

Suzanne Adely, Al-Awda-NY; Arab Workers Resource Center; Food Chain Workers Alliance (staff); President-Elect, National Lawyers Guild; 

Monadel Herzallah, Arab American Union Members Council

Ruth Jennison, Department Rep., Massachusetts Society of Professors, MTA, NEA; Co-Chair, Labor Standing Committee Pioneer Valley DSA

Lara Kiswani, Executive Director, Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC)

Michael Letwin, Former President, Association of Legal Aid Attorneys/UAW Local 2325; Organizing Collective, USACBI: US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel; DSA Palestine Solidarity Working Group

Clarence Thomas, Co-Chair, Million Worker March; Executive Board, ILWU Local 10 (retired)

Endorsements (as of May 23, 2021)

Organizations
Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO
AFSCME 3800 – UMN Clerical Workers Union
ALAA/UAW Local 2325, Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem Union, Family Defense Practice Unit
DSA AfroSocialist & Socialists of Color Caucus
DSA Palestine Solidarity Working Group
Black Attorneys of Legal Aid (BALA) Caucus, ALAA/UAW 2325
Attorneys of Color of Legal Aid (ACLA) Caucus, ALAA/UAW 2325
LGBTQ+ Caucus, ALAA/UAW 2325
CUNY Adjunct Project
Labor Against Racist Terror
Jews for Palestinian Right of Return
CAIR-NJ
Central Jersey DSA
NYC DSA Labor Branch

Individuals (list in formation; organizational affiliations listed for identification only)

  1. Daniel Ashworth, ALAA/UAW 2325
  2. Ellyn Kessler, ALAA/UAW 2325
  3. David Klein, California Faculty Association (CFA)
  4. Steve Brier, PSC-CUNY, AFT Local 2334; School of Labor & Urban Studies, CUNY
  5. Susan Morris, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW 2325 (Retired)
  6. Lisa Edwards, ALAA/UAW 2325
  7. Jamila Hammami, Steward, Co-Organizer for Labor & External Relations, CUNY Graduate Center PhD Social Welfare Program, PSC-CUNY
  8. Ryan Kelly, National Writers Union
  9. Nora Carroll, ALAA/UAW 2325
  10. Lauren Restivo, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  11. Michael Shannon, ALAA/UAW 2325
  12. David Sole, Past President, UAW 2334 (Retired)
  13. Erin Tomlinson, ALAA/UAW 2325
  14. John King, UAW-ACT 7902
  15. Dennis Gallie, UAW 249 (Retired)
  16. Goetz Wolff, Board Member, UC-AFT 1474 (UCLA); LA County AFL-CIO
  17. Ed Kinchley, Delegate, SF Committee on Political Education (COPE), SEIU 1021; Delegate, SF Labor Council
  18. Win Heimer, A&R, AFT 4200R
  19. Azalia Torres, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW 2325 (Retired)
  20. Eli Nadeau, SENS UAW 7902
  21. Susan Stout, Unifor 2002 (Retired)
  22. David Walsh, NALC 214; Delegate, SF Labor Council
  23. Dan Kaplan, Executive Secretary (retired), AFT 1493
  24. Dave King, Co-Chair, Climate Jobs PDX
  25. Lauren S. King, Climate Jobs PDX; Portland Jobs with Justice
  26. David Clennon, Convention Delegate, Screen Actors Guild-AFTRA
  27. Judith Ackerman, AFT and 1199SEIU
  28. Amy Muldoon, CWA 1106
  29. Val Sanfilippo, Retired Steward, SEIU 221
  30. Francis Cook, UFT, AFT Local 2; MORE Caucus (Movement of Rank and File Educators in the UFT)
  31. Hayat Bearat, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  32. Milad Momeni, CLSWU
  33. David Laibman, PSC-CUNY (retiree chapter)
  34. Mike Gimbel, AFSCME 375, Retired Executive Board member
  35. Elizabeth-Ann Tierney, Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  36. Ayami Hatanaka, ALAA/UAW 2325
  37. David McKeown, IBEW Local 6 (retired)
  38. Greg Giorgio, Delegate and Secretary, IWW Upstate NY Regional
  39. Carol Elaine Gay, President, NJ State Industrial Union Council; CWA retiree
  40. Alexander Hu, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  41. David Letwin, Executive Board Member, Rutgers AAUP-AFT Local 6324
  42. Alexandra Smith, ALAA/UAW 2325
  43. Aaron Goodwin, UAW 2865
  44. Diana Dooley, IBEW Local 6
  45. Gabriel Camacho, Political Director, UFCW Local 1445; LCLAA member at large
  46. Ron Jacobs, Steward, AFSCME 1343
  47. Naomi Sharlin, UFT, AFT Local 2
  48. Nicole Camera, UFT, AFT Local 2; MORE Caucus (Movement of Rank and File Educators in the UFT)
  49. Mark D. Stansbery, Board Member and Chair of Organizing and Mobilization, CWA 4502; Ohio AFL-CIO and Central Ohio Labor Council
  50. Jane Rubio, UFT, AFT Local 2
  51. Joan Hwang, Organizer, Workers Assembly Against Racism
  52. Rebekah McAlister UFT, AFT Local 2
  53. Jennifer Kovacs, ALAA/UAW 2325
  54. Hollis Higgins, NALC Branch 442 (retired)
  55. Leah Martin, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  56. Danielle Bullock, UFT, AFT Local 2; MORE Caucus (Movement of Rank and File Educators in the UFT)
  57. Brian Lewis, Steward and Delegate, AFSCME DC37, Local 375; DC37 Progressives; NYC-DSA Labor Branch
  58. Malcolm Sacks, UFT, AFT Local 2; MORE Caucus (Movement of Rank and File Educators in the UFT)
  59. Aisha Lewis-McCoy, Alternate Representative, LGBTQ Caucus, ALAA/UAW 2325
  60. Sara Catalinotto, Retired Delegate, UFT, AFT Local 2; Labor Against Racist Terror
  61. Susan Moir, Massachusetts Teachers Association (retired)
  62. Leah Margulies, ALAA/UAW 2325
  63. Monica Shah, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  64. Andrea Alajbegovic, LSSA/UAW 2320
  65. Lucy Herschel, Delegate, 1199SEIU, UHWE
  66. Calypso Taylor, ALAA/UAW 2325
  67. Alex Jallot, Delegate, Pace High School, UFT, AFT Local 2
  68. Yessenia Mendez, LSSA/UAW 2320
  69. Ian Spiridigliozzi, ALAA/UAW 2325
  70. Hoda Mitwally, Delegate, LSSA/UAW 2320
  71. Royce Adams, International Longshoremen’s Association Local 1291; CBTU/APRI
  72. Josh Komarovsky, LSSA/UAW 2320
  73. Will Chaney, GEO/UAW 2322 UMASS-Amherst
  74. Robert F. Williams, GEO/UAW 2322 MSCA Westfield State University
  75. Erik Mears, UFT/AFT Local 2
  76. Cherrene Horazuk, President, AFSCME 3800 – UMN Clerical Workers Union
  77. Annie Zirin, CTU/AFT Local 1
  78. Meaghan Whyte, Delegate, LSSA/UAW 2320
  79. Hector Agredano, Pasadena City College Faculty Association
  80. David McNally, Texas State Employees Union/CWA Local 6186
  81. Jessie Muldoon, Site Rep., Portland Education Association
  82. Brenda Stokely, Social Service Employees Union local 371 DC 37 AFSCME, AFL-CIO; Million Workers Movement NE Region co-organizer
  83. Camila Valle, UAW 2110
  84. Alejandro Coriat, NOLSW 2320; Legal Workers’ Rank and File
  85. Vish Soroushian, NOLSW/UAW 2320
  86. Hector Agredano, Pasadena City College Faculty Association
  87. Ramzi Babouder-Matta, Steward, CWA 1180; Labor Against Racism and War
  88. Sarah Soliman, Worker Advocate, Worker Justice Wisconsin
  89. Elly Wong, Steward, NPEU (IPFTE Local 70)
  90. Naib Mian, Unit Council, Bargaining Committee, New Yorker Union, News Guild NY Local 31003, CWA
  91. Lucas Koerner, Harvard Graduate Students Union – UAW 5118
  92. Martha Grevatt, Retired Executive Board Member, UAW 869
  93. Dianne Mathiowetz, UAW 10 (retired); Producer and Host, The Labor Forum, WRFG 89.3FM
  94. Stephen Terry, ALAA/UAW 2325 (retired)
  95. Gabriella Ferrara, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  96. Patricia Lavelle, ALAA/UAW 2325
  97. Spencer Eliot Smith, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  98. Meghna Philip, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  99. Kevin Duffy-Greaves, LSSA/UAW 2320
  100. Amanda Lipari, Civil Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325
  101. Lindsay Cowen, Delegate, LSSA/UAW 2320
  102. Karen Sullivan, PSC-CUNY
  103. Mimi Rosenberg, ALAA/UAW 2325; Producer and Host, WBAI radio, 99.5 FM’s labor program Building Bridges
  104. Benjamin Bisaro, ALAA/UAW 2325
  105. Andrew Smith, Shop Steward, AFSCME, DC 37, Local 1503
  106. Shayan Mirzahaidar, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  107. Basir Mchawi, PSC-CUNY/AFT
  108. Emily Woo Yamasaki, LSSA/UAW 2320
  109. Susan Williams, MD, Former Delegate, Doctors Council, SEIU Local 10MD (retired)
  110. Hoang Gia Phan, Massachusetts Society of Professors (MSP-UMass Amherst)
  111. Michael Novick, former steward and member, house of reps, former member of Human Rights Committee, United Teachers Los Angeles (joint NEA-CTA/AFT-CFT)
  112. Robin Strauss, PSC-CUNY/AFT
  113. Maria Amor, UAW 2320
  114. Estee Ward, Make the Road New York – NOLSW/UAW 2320
  115. Noha Arafa, ALAA/UAW 2325
  116. Terry Fitzgibbons, Building Rep., NJEA/Education Association of Passaic
  117. Sherry J. Wolf, CWA 1032
  118. Damon Fillman, Steward, CWA 1032; Rutgers AAUP-AFT
  119. Alan Maass, CWA 1032
  120. BJ Walker, CWA Local 1032
  121. Lauren Tomkinson, CWA Local 7799
  122. Alexandra Haridopolos, Delegate, UFT/AFT Local 2
  123. Marty Goodman, Former TWU Local 100 Executive Board (1997-2006)(retired)
  124. Caryn Schreiber, ALAA/UAW 2325
  125. Emma Goodman, Vice President, ALAA/UAW 2325
  126. Ray Siqueiros, AFT Local 8002
  127. Stephane Barile, Site Rep., New Haven Teachers Association, CTA
  128. Nora Christiani, ALAA/UAW 2325
  129. Gregory Butterfield, NOLSW/UAW 2320
  130. Kathleen Shannon, Staff Organizer, Rutgers AAUP-AFT Local 6323; CWA local 1032
  131. Marie E. Kelly, At Large Member, National Nurses United
  132. Katherine Fitzer, ALAA/UAW 2325
  133. Pooja Patel, ALAA/UAW 2325
  134. Daniella Korotzer, ALAA/UAW 2325
  135. Angelica Barrios, 1199SEIU (Forensic Social Worker)
  136. Lauren Katzman, ALAA/UAW 2325
  137. Gloria Banasco, ALAA/UAW 2325
  138. Maureen Stutzman, ALAA/UAW 2325
  139. Omar Alam Rana, Alternate Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  140. Monica Bustos, 1199SEIU
  141. Matt Caldwell, ALAA/UAW 2325
  142. Michael Gibbons, Representative, LGBTQ+ Caucus, ALAA/UAW 2325
  143. Mirna Haidar, ALAA/UAW 2325
  144. Kip Bastedo, ALAA/UAW 2325
  145. Jonathan McCoy, ALAA/UAW 2325
  146. Joe Piette, NALC Branch 157
  147. Naila Siddiqui, Vice President, ALAA/UAW2325
  148. Hannah Deegan, ALAA/UAW 2325
  149. Mallory Harwood, ALAA/UAW 2325
  150. Titus Mathai, ALAA/UAW 2325
  151. Michael Pate, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  152. Rebecca Kurti, 1199/SEIU
  153. Kar Nowakowski, ALAA/UAW 2325
  154. Keith Malonis, 1199/SEIU
  155. Katharine Kuhl, ALAA/UAW 2325
  156. Angie Rodriguez, 1199/SEIU
  157. Mik Kinkead, ALAA/UAW 2325
  158. Sophie Cohen, ALAA/UAW 2325
  159. Neil Friedman, PSC-CUNY Retired Chapter
  160. Jordan Manalastas, ALAA/UAW 2325
  161. Leon Pulsinelle, NJEA
  162. Brianda Guzman, 1199/SEIU
  163. Larry Hales, 1199/SEIU
  164. Aissatou Barry, Delegate, ALAA/UAW 2325
  165. Benjamin Jarvis, Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, AFT Local 1520
  166. Elena Landriscina, ALAA/UAW 2325
  167. Susan Kingsland, 1199/SEIU
  168. Alex Washington, ALAA/UAW 2325
  169. Grover Francis, ALAA/UAW 2325
  170. Taylor James, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW 2325
  171. Haley Pessin, Interim Delegate, 1199/SEIU; Legal Workers Rank and File
  172. Tarini Arogyaswamy, ALAA/UAW 2325
  173. Ferdinand Cesarano, 1199/SEIU
  174. Lori Masco, ALAA/UAW 2325
  175. Patrick Matutina, ALAA/UAW 2325
  176. Kathleen Wahl, ALAA/UAW 2325
  177. Hilary Dowling, ALAA/UAW 2325
  178. Raissa Carpenter, ALAA/UAW 2325
  179. Khouloud Ballout, 1199/SEIU
  180. Laurie Dick, ALAA/UAW 2325
  181. Samantha Plummer, UAW 4100; Central Brooklyn DSA
  182. Hannah Hussey, ALAA/UAW 2325
  183. Stephanie Hedgecoke, Recording Secretary, CWA 14156
  184. Bill Riggin, ALAA/UAW 2325
  185. Ivan Pantoja, Former Executive Board Member, ALAA/UAW 2325
  186. Marlen S. Bodden, ALAA/UAW 2325
  187. Candace Graff, ALAA/UAW 2325
  188. Jeff Schuhrke, Representative, UIC United Faculty, AFT Local 6456
  189. Norman Koerner, Alliance of Charter School Employees, AFT
  190. Whitney Powers, Steering Committee Member, CWA 7799
  191. Alex Wolf-Root, President, CWA 7799
  192. Bri Dobson, CWA 7799
  193. Hypatia Ostojic, Systemwide Chair, Peace and Justice Committee, UPTE CWA 9119
  194. Patrick Langhenry, ALAA/UAW 2325
  195. James Lauderdale, Lead Senior Civil Service Advocate (retired), SEIU Local 721
  196. Amanda Achin, Classified Staff Union, Massachusetts Teachers Association; Boston DSA Labor Working Group
  197. Darrin Hoop, Building Rep., Seattle Education Association; National Educators United
  198. Richard Blum, ALAA/UAW 2325
  199. Catherine Khella, Organizing Committee, NYC DSA Labor Branch
  200. David Guerrero, Delegate, 1199SEIU
  201. Asa Mendelsohn, UC-AFT 3299
  202. Helen Scott, Department Rep., United Academics: AAUP/AFT Local 3203; VT AFL-CIO State Labor Council
  203. Nancy Welch, UVM United Academics AAUP/AFT, Local 3203; Upper Valley Democratic Socialists of America
  204. Liz Medina, Executive Director, Vermont State Labor Council, AFL-CIO; UAW 2322
  205. Ron Jacobs, President, AFSCME 1343
  206. Heidi Fox, Vermont State Employees Association
  207. John Davy, Vermont State Employees Association
  208. Shannon Dufour-Martinez, AFSCME 1674
  209. Kit Andrews, Vermont State Employees Association
  210. Stephanie Higgins, union staff, GEO-UAW 2322
  211. Stanley Heller, AFT 1547, retired; Middle East Crisis Committee (Connecticut)
  212. Susan Klein, Unite HERE Local 34, Yale Unions Retirees Association
  213. Frank Panzarella, Former President, IAM Local 1990; New Haven Energy Task Force / Fight the Hike
  214. Martha London, Professional Staff Union/Massachusetts Teachers Association (Retired)
  215. Dylan Kupsh, UAW 2865; NSJP, UCSB SJP, UCLA Grad SJP
  216. Marsha Love, United Association of Labor Educators

CONTACT: info@laborforpalestine.net
ENDORSE
DONATE

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Posted in BDS, LFP Statements, Uncategorized

30+ NYU Student Groups Pledge Non-cooperation with NYU Tel Aviv (Mondoweiss)

Posted on October 23, 2018 | Comments Off on 30+ NYU Student Groups Pledge Non-cooperation with NYU Tel Aviv (Mondoweiss)

30+ NYU Student Groups Pledge Non-cooperation with NYU Tel Aviv

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“We, the undersigned student clubs, pledge to not participate in or apply to study abroad programs hosted at NYU Tel Aviv.”

We, the undersigned student clubs, pledge to not participate in or apply to study abroad programs hosted at NYU Tel Aviv. Our participation would render us complicit in the state of Israel’s targeted discrimination against activists and Palestinian and Muslim students. In January 2018, Israel released a list of twenty organizations whose members are denied entry into the country because of their endorsement of the Palestinian call for BDS (Boycotting, Divesting from, and Sanctioning Israel).

The University, as an adoptee of AAUP principles of academic freedom, has the duty to uphold these standards throughout the Global Network University (GNU) and be proactive in addressing any violations of these principles. NYU must upgrade its commitment to ensure equal access to GNU sites and to appeal decisions of entry within the Global Network. Until then, the members of our clubs will not study away and/or visit NYU Tel Aviv.

In the Spring of 2018, the NYU Student Government Assembly passed a resolution expressing concern over the lack of global mobility and cited NYU Tel Aviv as a case study. Citing the U.S. Department of State’s website, the resolution cites the fact that “upon arrival at any of the ports of entry, Palestinians, including Palestinian-Americans, may wish to confirm with Israeli immigration authorities from what location they will be required to depart. Some have been allowed to enter Israel or visit Jerusalem but told they cannot depart Israel via Ben Gurion Airport without special permission, which is rarely granted. Some families have been separated as a result, and other travelers have forfeited airline tickets.”

Recently, we have been seriously troubled by the case of University of Michigan Associate Professor John Cheney-Lippold, in which after refusing to write a recommendation for a student’s study in Israel application, has been arbitrarily punished through a freezing of his pay and a cancellation of all sabbaticals for the next two years. This sets a dangerous precedent, in which departments have the ability to unjustly penalize faculty simply for their support of Palestinian human rights. As a department, we stand within solidarity with Cheney-Lippold and any faculty and students that support the Israeli academic boycott for Palestinian human rights.

We, the undersigned student clubs, pledge to not participate in or apply to study abroad programs hosted at NYU Tel Aviv.

Signed,

  1. African Students Union
  2. Aftab
  3. Asian American Political Activism Coalition
  4. Bella Quisqueya
  5. Black and Brown Coalition
  6. Black Student Union
  7. Brownstone Publication
  8. CampGrrl
  9. Hermandad de Sigma Iota Alpha, Inc
  10. Incarceration to Education Coalition
  11. International Socialist Organization
  12. Jewish Voice for Peace at NYU
  13. La HerenciaLatina
  14. LUCHA – Latinos Unidos Con Honor y Amistad
  15. Muslim Graduate Student Group
  16. Muslim Students Association
  17. NYU Against Fascism
  18. NYU Disorient
  19. NYU Dream Team
  20. NYU GSOC UAW Local 2110
  21. NYU Law Students for Justice in Palestine
  22. NYU MEXSA
  23. Pakistani Students Association
  24. Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
  25. PorColombia
  26. Sanctuary
  27. SHADES
  28. Students for Justice in Palestine
  29. Student Labor Action Movement, United Students Against Sweatshops Local #44
  30. T Party
  31. The Incarceration Education Coalition
  32. Young Democratic Socialists of America

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Posted in Academic Boycott, Academic Freedom, BDS, UAW, UAW 2110 (GSOC)

Letter to the University of Michigan President Regarding John Cheney-Lippold (AAUP)

Posted on October 16, 2018 | Comments Off on Letter to the University of Michigan President Regarding John Cheney-Lippold (AAUP)

Letter to the University of Michigan President Regarding John Cheney-Lippold

The AAUP’s Department of Academic Freedom, Tenure, and Governance has sent a letter to the president of the University of Michigan responding to the university’s statement that it will discipline professor John Cheney-Lippold for his decision not to write a letter of recommendation for a student. Cheney-Lippold was sent a letter by the interim dean of the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, notifying him of actions that she had taken as a result of her determination that his “conduct ha[d] fallen far short of the University’s and College’s expectation for how LSA faculty interact and treat students.”

From AAUP’s letter:

The Association’s interest in the case of Professor Cheney-Lippold stems from our longstanding commitment to academic freedom and tenure, the basic tenets of which are set forth in the enclosed 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure.That document, a joint formulation of the AAUP and the Association of American Colleges and Universities, has received the endorsement of more than 250 educational and professional organizations. . . .

. . . [c]harges that may lead to the imposition of severe sanctions are to be preceded by an informal inquiry conducted by a duly constituted faculty committee charged with determining whether proceedings for imposing sanctions should be undertaken. Following such a determination, AAUP-supported standards require an administration to demonstrate adequate cause for imposing a severe sanction in a hearing of record before an elected faculty body.

Click here to download the full letter to the University of Michigan

File:
Michigan-Cheney-Lippold.pdf

Publication Date:
Tuesday, October 16, 2018

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Posted in AAUP, Academic Boycott, Academic Freedom, BDS, Free Speech, U.S. Labor News, University of Michigan

AAUP, AFT, Rutgers Faculty Union Oppose DOE Investigation

Posted on October 12, 2018 | Comments Off on AAUP, AFT, Rutgers Faculty Union Oppose DOE Investigation

AAUP, AFT and Rutgers Faculty Union Oppose Education Department Investigation 

WASHINGTON—American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, American Association of University Professors President Rudy Fichtenbaum and Rutgers AAUP-AFT President Deepa Kumar issued the following joint statement in response to the Trump administration’s probe into anti-Semitism at Rutgers University:

“We are currently living in a period when racist and xenophobic hatred is being seen more and more on college campuses. The events in Charlottesville, Va., during the summer of 2017 are seared in our memory, but the issue remains: Earlier week, anti-Semitic fliers were plastered around the campus of University of California, Davis; Sacramento City College was defaced with swastikas; and the president of the United States continues to claim that George Soros is funding his opposition. In light of that, we would expect this administration—particularly the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights—to use its limited resources to investigate serious offenses that threaten the safety and civil rights of students on these campuses. 

“Instead, the department has chosen to reopen a 7-year-old case and investigate in particular an allegation that only certain students were charged fees to attend an event organized by a pro-Palestinian group called Never Again for Anyone. This event brought together people of all religions and activists from both sides, including Holocaust survivors, to discuss the nuances of a complicated issue. It is exactly the type of open dialogue we should be encouraging on our college campuses. The initial claim that any criticism of Israel and its policies toward Palestinians—at this event or any other—is anti-Semitic, was mistaken, and the initial investigation of the incident by the Department of Education under the Obama administration said just that.

“Now, years later, the DeVos Education Department is trying to use the Office for Civil Rights to expand the definition of anti-Semitism to include criticism of Israel’s policies toward Palestinians. This is a very dangerous move, as what happened on the Rutgers campus seven years ago was a free exchange of ideas, expressly allowed by the First Amendment, and such an exchange of ideas should be welcomed on our campuses—even when they’re ideas with which we disagree. Religious bias is far different than a discussion of a nation-state’s policies. 

“We are very concerned about the rise of anti-Semitism in America. What we cannot countenance, however, is the Trump and DeVos administration attempting to equate advocacy for Palestinians with anti-Semitism. That is dead wrong. Our unions are committed to both the free expression of ideas and to challenging racism, xenophobia and anti-Semitism on our campuses. The fight against hate is undermined when Trump administration officials attempt to equate political debate with racial, ethnic or religious intolerance. If our institutions of higher learning cannot provide space for open political debate, then democracy will wither even more under this administration.”

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Posted in AAUP, Academic Boycott, Academic Freedom, AFT, BDS, Free Speech, Rutgers, U.S. Labor News

UK Labour Party must reject biased antisemitism definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights (Palestinian Unions)

Posted on August 28, 2018 | Comments Off on UK Labour Party must reject biased antisemitism definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights (Palestinian Unions)

UK Labour Party must reject biased antisemitism definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights

 on 

Activists call for boycotting Israel. (Photo via BDSMovement.net)

Welcoming the significant growth in recent years of progressive politics centred on social justice and internationalism in the UK, especially within the labour movement, we, Palestinian trade unions, mass organisations and networks, representing the majority in Palestinian civil society, call on the British Labour party, trade unions, city councils, universities and civil society at large to reject the IHRA’s false, anti-Palestinian definition of antisemitism.

This non-legally binding definition attempts to erase Palestinian history, demonise solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice and equality, suppress freedom of expression, and shield Israel’s far-right regime of occupation, settler-colonialism and apartheid from effective measures of accountability in accordance to international law.

The discredited IHRA guidelines deliberately conflate hostility to or prejudice or discrimination against Jews on the one hand with legitimate critiques of Israel’s policies and system of injustice on the other.

Palestinians last year marked 100 years of the Balfour Declaration, which played a significant role in supporting and entrenching the Zionist colonisation of Palestine. This typically colonial British declaration constituted a declaration of war against our people. It facilitated the birth of the exclusionary state of Israel that maintains a regime of apartheid and systematically oppresses the indigenous Palestinian people, stripping us of our fundamental and UN-recognised rights, including the rights to equality and self- determination and our refugees’ right to return to their homes of origin.

We concur with British Palestinian personalities who have asserted that:

[A]ny use by public bodies of the IHRA examples on antisemitism that either inhibits discussion relating to our dispossession by ethnic cleansing, when Israel was established, or attempts to silence public discussions on current or past practices of [Israeli] settler colonialism, apartheid, racism and discrimination, and the ongoing violent military occupation, directly contravenes core rights. First, the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, who remain protected by international laws and conventions; and second, the rights of all those British citizens who stand by our side, in the solidarity of a common humanity.

We recognise the severe pressure being placed on public bodies in the UK, and globally, to adopt this politicised and fraudulent definition of antisemitism. We would assert that those in the UK have a particular moral, political and arguably legal obligation to atone for historic and current British crimes against the Palestinian people and complicity in maintaining Israel’s regime of oppression. We appeal to them to:

1.     Consistently uphold the UK Human Rights Act, the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and the right to freedom of expression, including in narrating Palestine’s well-documented colonial history, advocating for Palestinian rights, describing Israel’s regime of oppression as racist or as constituting apartheid, and calling for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel as nonviolent measures of accountability to bring about its compliance with its obligations under international law and its respect for Palestinian rights.

2.     Unequivocally uphold the UN-stipulated rights of the people of Palestine,particularly:

●     The right to live free of military occupation in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem;

●     The right to full equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel who currently suffer under a system of legalised and institutionalised racial discrimination;

●     The inherent and legally upheld right of Palestine refugees to return to their homes of origin from which they have been ethnically cleansed during the Nakba and ever since.

3.     Officially endorse a military embargo on Israel, as called for by Palestinian civil society, Socialist International, UK political parties (including Liberal Democrats, Greens, and Scottish National Party), the UK Trades Union Congress (TUC), many development NGOs (including Oxfam and Christian Aid), dozens of British MPs, cities across Europe, Amnesty International, globalfigures, among others. In 2017 alone, the UK arms exports to Israel reached $284m, setting a record.

4.     Unambiguously condemn all forms of racism and bigotry, including Israel’s more than 60 racist laws, especially its latest constitutional law, the Jewish Nation-State Basic Law, that effectively “enshrines Jewish supremacy” and apartheid, as defined by the UN.

Adopting the IHRA definition (with its examples) would not only demonise our present struggle for liberation and self-determination. It would also “silence a public discussion [in the UK] of what happened in Palestine and to the Palestinians in 1948”, as over 100 Black, Asian and other minority ethnicities (BAME) groups in the UK have cautioned. It would also chill advocacy for Palestinian rights, including by vilifying and maligning our nonviolent Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement for Palestinian rights.

Anchored in our own decades-long heritage of popular resistance and inspired by the South African anti-apartheid movement and the US Civil Rights movement, the Nobel Peace Prize-nominated BDS movement is supported by an overwhelming majority of Palestinian civil society. It is also endorsed by progressive movements representing millions worldwide, including a fast-rising number of Jewish millennials.

BDS is rooted in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and adheres to the UN definition of racial discrimination. It therefore “does not tolerate any act or discourse which adopts or promotes, among others, anti-Black racism, anti-Arab racism, Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, sexism, xenophobia, or homophobia”.

Redefining racism against a particular community to serve the political goal of precluding or vilifying the struggle against other forms of racism is immoral and outright racist. It should be condemned by all morally-consistent progressives.

Israel’s utter failure to suppress the impressive growth of BDS across the world in the last few years has prompted it to redefine antisemitism to desperately malign our strictly anti-racist movement.

As leading Jewish British intellectuals and legal experts have stated:

Criticising laws and policies of the state of Israel as racist and as falling under the definition of apartheid is not antisemitic. Calling for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel to oppose those policies is not antisemitic.

We agree with the analysis of more than forty Jewish social justice organisations worldwide that we live in “a frightening era, with growing numbers of authoritarian and xenophobic regimes worldwide, foremost among them the Trump administration, allying themselves with Israel’s far right government while making common cause with deeply antisemitic and racist white supremacist groups and parties”.

We also echo their appeal:

We urge our governments, municipalities, universities and other institutions to reject the IHRA definition and instead take effective measures to defeat white supremacist nationalist hate and violence and to end complicity in Israel’s human rights violations.

We need no one’s permission to accurately narrate our history, defend our inherent and inalienable rights, or mobilise principled international solidarity with our struggle to achieve them.

But we expect social-justice oriented political parties, like Labour, and progressive trade unions to effectively contribute to ending British complicity in Israel’s system of oppression that denies us our rights, to protect the right to freedom of expression, and to stand on the right side of history. We expect them to help us in the struggle against apartheid and for equal rights of all humans irrespective of identity. Is this too much to expect?

Signatories:

–    General Union of Palestinian Workers

–    Global Palestine Right of Return Coalition

–    Palestinian Union of Postal, IT and Telecommunication workers

–    Union of Professional Associations

–    Federation of Independent Trade Unions

–    Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate

–    Palestinian New Federation of Trade Unions

–    General Union of Palestinian Teachers

–    General Union of Palestinian Women

–    General Union of Palestinian Peasants

–    Union of Palestinian Farmers

–    General Union of Palestinian Writers

–    The Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees (PFUUPE)

–    Palestinian Camps Boycott Movement-Lebanon (33 organisations from 11 refugee camps)

–    Palestinian NGO Network (PNGO)

–    Palestinian National Institute for NGOs

–    Popular Struggle Coordination Committee (PSCC)

–    Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign (STW)

–    Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI)

–    Union of Palestinian Charitable Organizations

–    Women Campaign to Boycott Israeli Products

–    Civic Coalition for the Defense of Palestinian Rights in Jerusalem

–    Occupied Palestine and Syrian Golan Heights Initiative

–    Agricultural Cooperatives Union

Comments Off on UK Labour Party must reject biased antisemitism definition that stifles advocacy for Palestinian rights (Palestinian Unions)

Posted in Academic Freedom, Arab Labor, BDS, International Labor, Labour Party (UK), Palestinian Labor, U.K.

Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (Vancouver & District Labour Council)

Posted on June 19, 2018 | Comments Off on Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (Vancouver & District Labour Council)

BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT, AND SANCTIONS

At the June 19, 2018 Regular meeting of the Vancouver & District Labour Council, delegates present passed the following motion in support of boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel in response to the country’s actions against the Palestinian people.

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BECAUSE article 49 of the 4th Geneva Convention prohibits an occupying power from transferring parts of its own civilian population to territory it occupies; and             

BECAUSE the International Court of Justice has ruled that Israel’s settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) violate international law; and

BECAUSE Israeli settlement expansions in the OPT are an undeniable obstacle to the Israel – Palestine peace process; and  

BECAUSE Israel has continued, despite international pressure, to expand its settlements and to demolish Palestinian homes and other infrastructure in the OPT; and

BECAUSE UN Resolution 194 establishes the right of Palestinian refugees to return to their lands and properties; and

BECAUSE Canada and other nations have previously succeeded in ensuring respect for human rights through the use of economic and political sanctions, including in the case of South Africa; and

BECAUSE the world has watched in horror as dozens of unarmed Palestinian protestors have been killed, and hundreds wounded, by Israeli military forces in recent weeks,

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL support the use of boycott, divestment and sanctions (“BDS”) that are targeted to those sectors of Israel’s economy and society which profit from the ongoing occupation of the OPT; and

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER support such a form of BDS until such time as Israel implements a permanent ban on further settlement construction in the OPT, and enters into good faith negotiations with representatives of the Palestinian people for the purpose of establishing a viable, contiguous and truly sovereign Palestinian state; and

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FURTHER support such a form of BDS until such time as Israel dismantles the apartheid wall, recognizes the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, ceases the use of excessive force against protestors, and respects the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN Resolution 194; and

THE VANCOUVER AND DISTRICT LABOUR COUNCIL WILL FINALLY oppose all efforts to prohibit, punish or otherwise deter expressions of support for BDS.

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Posted in BDS, Canada, Great Return March

GEO Calls for AFT/IFT Solidarity with Palestine

Posted on June 19, 2018 | Comments Off on GEO Calls for AFT/IFT Solidarity with Palestine

GEO Calls for AFT/IFT Solidarity with Palestine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

19 June 2018

GEO Calls for AFT/IFT Solidarity with Palestine

We, the Graduate Employees Organization at UIUC, AFT/IFT 6300 have watched in outrage, sadness, and horror as Israeli snipers have maimed and murdered Palestinian children, young adults, journalists, and medical first responders in Gaza over the past month. Much of this violence was committed simultaneously with the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem: as a Christian extremist anti-Semitic U.S. pastorgave the prayer for the opening ceremony, as a virulently anti-Black rabbi blessed Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, as ordinary Israeli citizens cheered and chanted for IDF soldiers to “burn them, shoot them, kill them” in reference to non-violent Palestinian protesters, and as wealthy politicians sipped champagne and celebrated.

How many people in the U.S. labor movement are aware that Palestinian workers held a general strike on May 15, Nakba Day, in protest of incrementally-genocidal Israeli settler colonization? How many U.S. labor leaders have declared solidarity with Palestinian workers? How many U.S. labor unions have followed in the great tradition of transnational anti-colonial labor solidarity by standing with Palestine against a genocidal process currently led by anti-labor extremists such as Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu? How many U.S. labor unions have followed the example of labor unions globally by declaring support for the non-violent BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) movement?

We are saddened and disappointed that our own AFT/IFT leadership have a history not only of silence on these matters, but complicity with the racist and genocidal regime that guns down unarmed Palestinians in the open air prison that is Gaza.

We are saddened and disappointed in the hostility that AFT leaders such as Randi Weingarten have expressed to the internationally-respected and non-violent tactic of BDS. Such leaders are out of touch and out of step with the rank and file of our union. We, the GEO, proudly endorsed a Divestment campaign led by Palestinian students on our campus this academic year (2017-2018), and we plan to do likewise next year. We call on AFT/IFT leadership to unequivocally, and in an unqualified manner, condemn Israel’s murderous aggression and blatant human rights abuses against Palestinians, and to act in substantive solidarity with the Palestinian people who are struggling against racism, apartheid, and colonization—struggling for freedom. A labor movement that does not fight for justice against the bullies of the world is no labor movement at all.

Palestine must be free!

The Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO), IFT/AFT local 6300, AFL-CIO, is a member-run labor union and represents Teaching and Graduate Assistants (TAs and GAs) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. In November 2009, and more recently, earlier this year in February 2018, GEO members and allies participated in a strike to secure a fair contract and more accessible UIUC. With an active presence in the community, the GEO continues to work for high-quality and accessible public education in Illinois.

For more information, please contact us geo@uigeo.org. More information can also be found on our website at www.uiucgeo.org.

Twitter: @geo_uiuc Facebook: @uigeo @geosolcomm Instagram:@geo_uiuc

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Posted in AFT, BDS, Gaza, Great Return March

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS ENDORSES “PEACE IN PALESTINE” CAMPAIGN (CJPME)

Posted on October 5, 2017 | Comments Off on CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS ENDORSES “PEACE IN PALESTINE” CAMPAIGN (CJPME)

CANADIAN LABOUR CONGRESS ENDORSES “PEACE IN PALESTINE” CAMPAIGN

Montreal, October 5, 2017 — Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is thrilled to announce that the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) has officially endorsed its Peace in Palestine campaign. The campaign is a strategy to get Canada’s parliamentarians to pass a motion calling for an end to Israel’s illegal “settlements” (a.k.a. colonies.)

The CLC is the largest labour organization in Canada, representing 3.3 million Canadian workers. The CLC’s endorsement of “Peace in Palesine” follows on more than 50 years whereby the CLC has supported policies and programs that seek to promote positive social change. CJPME President Thomas Woodley responded enthusiastically, “We are excited to see Canada’s largest labour organization boldly stand up for human rights at home and abroad.”  CJPME encourages other Canadian civil society organizations to stand up for social justice as the CLC has.

A core component of the Peace in Palestine campaign is a Parliamentary ePetition calling on the government to “demand that Israel immediately and completely cease all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.” The ePetition mirrors the wording of UN Security Council resolution 2334 (December 2016), and has the sponsorship of NDP Foreign Affairs Critic Helène Laverdière. CJPME has launched a four-month cross-Canada campaign promoting this Parliamentary petition and the follow-up Parliamentary motion CJPME hopes this campaign inspires.

Over 70 unions and organizations have already endorsed the Peace in Palestine campaign. Other organizations wishing to endorse the campaign may do so on-line.  Canadian individuals are also encouraged to sign the Parliamentary ePetition, thus demonstrating support for the “Peace in Palestine” campaign, respect for Palestinian human rights, and promoting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

 

About CJPME – Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) is a non-profit and secular organization bringing together men and women of all backgrounds who labour to see justice and peace take root again in the Middle East. Its mission is to empower decision-makers to view all sides with fairness and to promote the equitable and sustainable development of the region.

For more information, please contact Miranda Gallo, 438-380-5410
Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East www.cjpme.org

The whole or parts of this press release can be reproduced without permission.

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Posted in BDS, Canada, International Labor