LONDON (MEMO) – Unite the Union, which represents 1.2 million workers in the UK, has passed three crucial motions reaffirming its ongoing solidarity with the Palestinian people’s struggle for liberation, affirming support for the Palestinian call for a campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions until the Zionist regime ends its violation of Palestinian rights, and condemning the government’s anti-boycott bill which is currently at committee stage in the House of Commons.
In its conference, Unite noted the anti-boycott bill will shield companies engaged in human rights abuses or environmental destruction by preventing public bodies from cutting financial ties with them over abusive or illegal actions committed in a foreign state, unless expressly permitted to do so by the government. It will also violate the rights of Local Government Pension Scheme members, including members of Unite the Union, preventing them from choosing how their deferred wages are invested.
Speaking following the passing of motions, Director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Ben Jamal, said: “At a moment when the government’s anti-boycott bill seeks to delegitimize the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS), the unanimous support of Unite the Union’s members at conference for motions affirming support for BDS is crucial. Unite has made clear that it will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinian people and reject all efforts to delegitimize their struggle for liberation.”
A further motion passed on Friday affirms the Union’s recognition that the Zionist regime is practicing the crime of apartheid and calls for an end to the UK government’s proposed free trade agreement with the occupying regime.