PALESTINE - TUC statement takes BDS step

TUC: TUC policy taken 'light years forward' as statement calls for end of arms sales to Israel, a ban on importing goods produced in the illegal settlements and a boycott (where trade union members should not put their own jobs at risk by refusing to deal with such products).

And so on to the issue that has kept the General Council awake this week. Palestine.

The FBU had placed a motion on the agenda that reflected UNISON’s agreed conference policy, condemning the Israeli unreservedly invasion of Gaza, and the support for that from Histadrut and calling for an effective Boycott and Disinvestment campaign in collaboration with the Palestine solidarity campaign. The motion also called for the TUC to review its relationship with Histradrut. However an amendment from the GMB attempted to take the guts out of the motion. When the GMB became a mouthpiece for the Israeli lobby is anyone’s guess.

Then the fun and games began. The TUC office produced a draft of a statement designed to “unify” Congress but based on the FBU motion as amended by the GMB .That was totally unacceptable to Unison, based on our support for the FBU. The statement was debated and defeated at the General Council which also decided to back the FBU. Decision taken?

On Wednesday however it was announced that the debate was delayed to allow for a measure of thought to be devoted to the matter. In the course of the day a new statement emerged for certain unions to consider but not all. (UNISON was not included) However on finding a copy it was realised that it repeated the errors of the previous one. With PCS we then entered in to a considerable negotiation on the basis of our policy outlined above.

A suitable statement then emerged but was again the subject of debate at the GC. It was eventually agreed and brings TUC policy light years forward in terms of its policy on the Middle East. Both the motion and the statement were agreed by Congress.

In the debate Mike Kirby noted that Gaza is an area under occupation with check points and the separation barrier cutting villages in half and away from their land. Mike said “With Boycott Disinvestment and Sanctions we can show solidarity” and quoted a Palestinian Authority Minister “The boycott may affect 20% of those workers employed in construction and service industries. They don’t work in export industries. For the political issue or our land we can afford the economic sacrifice”

See also http://unisonactive.blogspot.com/2009/09/supporting-palestine-by-bds.html