United Auto Workers' Union Joins Call for Permanent Ceasefire
Major U.S. unions rally at the White House to call for a ceasefire, December 1, 2023.
The United Auto Workers (UAW) in the U.S. has endorsed the call for an immediate, permanent ceasefire in Gaza. With about 400,000 active members and more than 580,000 retired members, they are the largest U.S. union to date to do so. UAW members joined those from unions across the country who stood with a broad-based group of hunger strikers December 1, protesting for Palestine in front of the White House and demanding a ceasefire. At the press conference, speaker after speaker denounced President Joe Biden for backing and funding the Israeli bombardment and siege of Gaza. Participants included Palestinian and Jewish organizations, the Coalition of Labor Union Women and the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance, anti-war and rights activists and more, all standing as one in support of Palestine.
The call by the UAW puts forward the need for "building a global community of solidarity." UAW officials declared unequivocally, "We opposed fascism in World War II, we opposed the Vietnam War, we opposed apartheid South Africa, and we mobilized union resources in that fight." Given that Biden joined the UAW picket lines to still be seen as a "union man," the resolution by the UAW directly demanding he push for a permanent ceasefire has even greater significance. Far from being known as a "union man," Biden is now aptly called Genocide Joe.
The UAW joins the other national unions which are demanding a ceasefire, including the American Postal Workers Union (APWU), the United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE), and the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT). Teacher and health care unions, including National Nurses United, the Chicago, Boston and Portland Teachers Unions and others have also demanded an immediate ceasefire.
The organizing efforts among rank-and-file members across the country are such that a call is being made to the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) to endorse a call for a permanent ceasefire now. APWU President Mark Dimondstein who is an AFL-CIO vice president, is advocating for the AFL-CIO to take a stand against the war on Palestinians.
A call initiated by UE, UAW and the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) has garnered support from more than 2,800 union locals and others, including those from Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Steelworkers (USW), American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSME), International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), and Unite Here.
Like other resolutions, in addition to a ceasefire, the call demands that water, fuel, food, and other humanitarian aid be allowed into Gaza. Reflecting the internationalist spirit evident in the many actions across the country where workers are mobilizing, it says, "We express our solidarity with all workers and our common desire for peace in Palestine and Israel, and we call on President Joe Biden and Congress to push for an immediate ceasefire and end to the siege of Gaza."
The persistent actions for Palestine show that workers are not only
passing resolutions but also working together with the many
organizations defending the rights of Palestinians. In the past workers
and their unions have taken stands to refuse to load war material, for
instance bound for Iraq,
and to refuse to unload goods such as from South Africa. The demand is
to take similar actions now.
This article was published in
Volume 53 Number 30 - December, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2023/Articles/MS533010.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca