Wednesday, October 16, 2024

One Year On: Our Call to Workers Everywhere – Stop the Genocide

 


Palestinian Trade Unions Call for Immediate Action Against the Ongoing Genocide

Protesters outside of BAE Systems holding Palestinian flags and a large banner reading

One year ago, Palestinian trade unions made an urgent global call to action, imploring workers across the world to halt the arms trade with Israel. But today, the genocide continues—an ongoing assault against working people and organised labour.

As we write this, we are surrounded in the Jabalia refugee camp, under relentless bombardment. Across Gaza, airstrikes continue, and a brutal starvation policy is cutting off food, water, and essential supplies. There is no safe place in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel is inflicting the same violence on the West Bank, with bombings in Tulkarem and Jenin, and now extending its attacks into Lebanon.

We are witnessing the systematic destruction of our people. This is a call for urgent solidarity from the global labour movement. Workers hold the power to disrupt the supply chains and end the complicity of their governments. The time to act is now.

We call on:

  • Labour Federations: Drop all your holdings in Israel. Divest now. Every investment in Israel is a contribution to our oppression.

  • Workers and Trade Unionists: Every workplace and every trade union is a place to organise. Mobilise to eliminate Israeli investments from union pension funds and employers' portfolios, including partnerships with complicit companies. Build rank-and-file power to demand that your union leaders push governments for an immediate ceasefire.

  • Workers Along Arms Supply Chains: We call on you to intervene and disrupt the flow of arms that sustain this genocide, from weapons factories to transport and military research. This is no small task, but we need you to build your collective power to halt the arms trade. It is our most urgent need. 

  • Center Our Liberation Struggle: Tell the world about our struggle. We are fighting for our lives, for freedom, justice and liberation. We need you to rise to this moment in history, and move beyond statements. Be brave, take risks, and act with the urgency that Israel’s genocide demands. 

Workers in Palestine will continue to coordinate international efforts in response to the trade union call from Palestine issued a year ago. Here are useful resources and upcoming trainings to support you. If you're organising within your workplace or union, reach out and take action. 

In solidarity and in struggle.

Workshop Series: Secrets of a Successful Organiser

Join Workers in Palestine and Labor Notes for a series of interactive online workshops focused on strengthening organising skills to build real and lasting support for Palestine in our workplaces and unions. Sessions will provide practical tools and real-world examples to help us organise to win.

In response to the call from Palestinian workers, many of us have mobilised to end the genocide in Gaza—through strikes, blockades, marches, and union actions. We’ve seen how the power of organised labour can disrupt the arms trade and challenge complicity. Now, it’s time to take this work further by building the skills and strategies needed to sustain this fight.

This will be a set of 4 interlinked Zoom workshops, held on Thursdays, in November and will run from 7-9pm GMT. The workshops will be led by Labor Notes organiser Lisa Xu.

WORKSHOP TOPICS INCLUDE:

  • Beating Apathy
  • Assembling Your Dream Team
  • Turning An Issue Into a Campaign 
  • Palestine In the Workplace 

This series is for all of us committed to doing this work—whether you’re new to workplace/union organising or have been at it for years! Come prepared to engage and share.

 


No comments:

Post a Comment