Every day, even amid a so-called “ceasefire,” Israel murders Palestinians with weapons built in our backyards. Palestinians in Gaza remain under forced starvation and siege, and are rebuilding their homes from the rubble of a genocide that our government helped carry out.
The struggle for a free Palestine continues–and so must our solidarity.
Here in the U.S., ICE is kidnapping our loved ones and neighbors and wreaking havoc on communities. Millions are already suffering or living in a state of fear amid attacks on our health care and food programs, and our wages remain far behind our needs.
But everywhere you look, ordinary people are daring to organize and fight for a better world for all of us. As workers, we have an essential role to play in creating that world.
Why is solidarity with Palestine a labor issue?
- When our government is responsible for genocide and occupation, workers can and must step up. You can look to our union siblings in Italy as role models in their labor action for Palestine!
- Labor bodies in Palestine, such as the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions-Gaza (PGFTU-Gaza) and the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate, have called on U.S. workers to uphold the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions (BDS) picket line. That means pressuring our bosses and union leadership to make sure the companies or institutions we work for and our union dues stop funding occupation and genocide.
- It is our labor that builds and ships weapons Israel uses to murder Palestinians, that perpetuates the lies of the war machine through corporate media, and that keeps the U.S. economy running.
- Our struggles can’t be separated. Our government continues to support Israel not just because of AIPAC, but because it is designed to do so. In order to sustain itself, the same system of capitalism that keeps our wages down and our rent high propels genocide, war, displacement, and large-scale suffering in Palestine and across the world.
Ultimately, we have a common enemy: The U.S.-led billionaire class and their henchmen in our government. They care about profit above all else, and if we build power to withhold our labor, we can force real change.
What can workers do?
Start by talking to any coworkers you think might be on the same page. Odds are, you have at least one ally. Once you gather your forces, you can talk about what kinds of demands make sense for your employer, and who else you might convince to support your cause. Your power will always be greatest when you do things collectively–and the best way to do that is by forming a union.