[ssf] Fw: Press Release - Britain’s unions commit to a mass boycott movement of Israeli goods

[Gerald Ali.]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Palestine Solidarity Campaign To: gerald.ali at btopenworld.com Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:27 PM
Subject: Press Release - Britain’s unions commit to a mass boycott movement of Israeli goods


Press release – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

17 September 2009

 

Britain’s unions commit to a mass boycott movement of Israeli goods

 

In a landmark decision, Britain’s trade unions have voted overwhelmingly to commit to build a mass boycott movement, disinvestment and sanctions on Israel for a negotiated settlement based on justice for Palestinians.

 

The motion was passed at the 2009 TUC Annual Congress in Liverpool today (17 September), by unions representing 6.5 million workers across the UK.

 

Hugh Lanning, chair of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, said: ‘This motion is the culmination of a wave of motions passed at union conferences this year, following outrage at Israel’s brutal war on Gaza, and reflects the massive growth in support for Palestinian rights. We will be working with the TUC to develop a mass campaign to boycott Israeli goods, especially agricultural products that have been produced in illegal Israeli settlements in the Palestinian West Bank.’

 

The motion additionally called for the TUC General Council to put pressure on the British government to end all arms trading with Israel and support moves to suspend the EU-Israel trade agreement. Unions are also encouraged to disinvest from companies which profit from Israel’s illegal 42-year occupation of Gaza and the West Bank.

 

The motion was tabled by the Fire Brigades Union. The biggest unions in the UK, including Unite, the public sector union, and UNISON, which represents health service workers, voted in favour of the motion.

 

The motion also condemned the Israeli trade union Histadrut’s statement supporting Israel’s war on Gaza, which killed 1,450 Palestinians in three weeks, and called for a review of the TUC’s relationship with Histadrut. 

 

Britain’s trade unions join those of South Africa and Ireland in voting to use a mass boycott campaign as a tool to bring Israel into line with international law, and pressure it to comply with UN resolutions that encourage justice and equality for the Palestinian people..

 

Notes to Editors

 

  a.. Media contact: Palestine Solidarity Campaign 020 7700 6192 
  b.. The full motion passed on 17 September can be viewed at: http://www.congressvoices.org/2009/76-palestine/ [[See below ]] 
  c.. The Palestine Solidarity Campaign is the largest solidarity movement with Palestinians in Britain – and is supported by thousands of individual members alongside 18 national trade union and hundreds of local trade union affiliates. For more information: http://www.palestinecampaign.org 
  d.. The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement aims to pressure Israel into complying with international law. http://www.bdsmovement.net/ 
 

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The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) aims to raise public awareness about the occupation of Palestine and the struggle of the Palestinian people. PSC seek to bring pressure on both the British and Israeli government to bring their policies in line with international law. PSC is an independent, non-governmental and non-party political organisation with members from communities across the UK. Join PSC today!

 

 

Palestine Solidarity Campaign
Box BM PSA
London
WC1N 3XX

Tel:   020 7700 6192
Fax:  020 7609 7779

Email: info at palestinecampaign.org

Web: www.palestinecampaign.org

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76 Palestine
Submitted by Fire Brigades’ Union

Congress condemns the Government of Israel’s January offensive in Gaza resulting in 1,450 Palestinians deaths and 5,000 injured and the massive destruction of infrastructure.

Congress further condemns the ongoing blockade that is in contravention of International Law.

Congress calls on the General Council to:

i) use its influence with the British Government to make appropriate representations to the international community to secure support for a negotiated settlement based on justice for the Palestinians

ii) build solidarity with the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions.



Congress condemns the Histadrut statement of 13 January 2009 in which it backed the attacks on Gaza and calls on the General Council to carry out a review of the TUC’s relationship with Histadrut.

Congress calls on the General Council to pressure the Government to:

a) condemn the Israeli military aggression and end the blockade on Gaza

b) end all arms trading with Israel

c) impose a ban on the importing of goods produced in the illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Territories

d) support moves to suspend the EU-Israel Association Agreement.



Congress further calls on the General Council to encourage affiliation to the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and to develop an effective Boycott, Disinvestment and Sanctions campaign by working closely with the PSC to:

1) raise greater awareness on the issues

2) promote a targeted consumer-led boycott

3) encourage trade unionists to boycott Israeli goods, especially agricultural products that have been produced in the illegal settlements

4) encourage campaigns of disinvestment from companies associated with the occupation.

Amendment (Not Accepted)
>From GMB

At the end of paragraph 1, insert: ‘and Hamas’ rocket attacks against Israeli civilians.’

At the end of paragraph 2, insert: ‘and prevents vital supplies from reaching the people of Gaza.’

In paragraph 3, at end of sub-paragraph ii), insert: ‘, including through project support and encouraging and supporting stronger relations with the Histadrut.’

In paragraph 4, line 1, replace ‘condemns’ with ‘regrets’. In line 3 insert a full stop after ‘Gaza’ and delete the remaining words in the paragraph.

In paragraph 5, delete sub-paragraph b). Renumber existing sub-paragraph c) as b) and insert at the start of it ’seek EU agreement to’. Renumber existing sub-paragraph d) as c).

In paragraph 6, delete all from ‘to develop’ in line 3 to ‘PSC’ in line 5. Delete sub-paragraph 2) and renumber sub-paragraph 3) as 2). In this new sub-paragraph 2), add ‘those’ before ‘Israeli goods’ and replace ‘,especially’ with ‘and’. Re-number sub-paragraph 4) as 3), inserting at end: ‘and pressure companies to withdraw from building the separation wall.’

Amendment (Accepted)
From: University and College Union

Add new final paragraph:

‘Congress asserts that in undertaking these actions each affiliate will operate within its own aims and objectives and within the law.’







































 

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