Trade Union Boycotts: weakening the prospects for peace (see the comments section and give your opinion)
TUFI believes that it is right for unions around the world to be discussing the plight of the Palestinians and seeking ways to provide assistance to them, but that support for Palestinians should not be counterproductive to the situation on the ground and the ongoing peace process. Rather than divestment from Israel, we believe that investment of time, energy and material aid in the peace process is the way to meaningful progress towards achieving a lasting settlement.
Calling for boycotts of Israel is not the right approach for trade unions for a number of important reasons:
- The economic relationship between the Palestinian and Israeli economies is vitally important to the peace process: economic boycotts against Israel can only damage this.
- Both the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) and the PGFTU (Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions) do not want boycotts but want to continue working together for peace. It is our duty as trade unionists to support them; to show solidarity with their positive efforts rather than call for disruptive boycotts.
- Simplistic and non-constructive efforts in the form of misguided resolutions is not the right approach for trade unions to help, especially when there are a number of positive measures that can express practical solidarity without calling for a boycott.
- Advocates of the boycott of Israel repeatedly invoke the boycott of South Africa. The parallel they draw between Israel and apartheid South Africa is false and a misrepresentation of the facts.
Israeli-Palestinian Economic Relationship
A stable relationship between the Palestinian and Israeli economies with good trade links is crucial for the peace process to succeed. Ofer Eini, Chairman of the Histadrut, has repeatedly stated that he believes the resolution to the conflict will be an economic as much as a political settlement.
The British Government’s report on the Economic aspects of peace in the Middle East, published in September 2007, mirrored this argument and stated that “it is essential to create a stable and consistent framework for interaction between the Israeli and Palestinian economies,” and that the Palestinian economy needs a dependable economic and trading relationship with Israel.
The international community is striving to push this economic aspect forward by working to boost the Palestinian economy and the Quartet’s Middle East Envoy, Tony Blair, is actively pursuing this through joint Israeli-Palestinian economic projects.
Conversely, calls for a boycott of Israel aim to contradict these efforts by aspiring to weaken Israel’s economy. This would be counterproductive; cause a detrimental effect to the Palestinian economy, the peace process, and fundamentally, the Palestinian people.
Histadrut & PGFTU: Trade Unions Working Together, setting an example
The Histadrut and the PGFTU want to continue working together. The two federations and their organisations maintain contact and are involved with many mutually supportive activities.
At the Histadrut’s 2008 Annual Congress, the PGFTU was officially represented and the delegation present affirmed its commitment to maintain and extend constructive relations with the Histadrut. They also declared their wish to cooperate in campaigns to improve the economic and social well-being for both Israeli and Palestinian working people.
In August 2008, the Histadrut and the PGFTU signed a landmark agreement to base future relations on negotiation, dialogue and joint initiatives to advance “fraternity and co-existence”. The agreement, negotiated under the auspices of Guy Ryder, the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), paved the way for continuous cooperation.
All financial issues have been settled and, as well as providing Palestinian workers with trade union services and representation fees, the Histadrut also encourages participation in educational and vocational training workshops. It is a significant milestone for trade unionists in the region.
The new agreement was based on the terms of an initial 1995 agreement that collapsed due to the failed peace talks between the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority in late 2000 and the subsequent outbreak of the Second Intifada. A number of critics of Israel within the trade union movement emphasised this collapsed agreement and subsequent fallout as a justification for promoting trade union boycotts, disinvestment and sanctions against Israel. However, even through the most difficult times, the two organisations continued to talk and work together.
An example of this cooperation was evident in June 2007 when over 20 Israeli and Palestinian transport union representatives signed a number of collaborative agreements at a bilateral meeting organised by the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF).
It is clear that the two union federations want to work for peace together, so it is the duty as trade unionists to support them; to show solidarity with their positive efforts rather than call for divisive boycotts. The general secretary of the PGFTU echoed this in a letter last year to the Chairman for the Histadrut:
"We [the Histadrut and the PGFTU] must emphasise our mutual need for peace in our two societies, for the benefit both of workers and because peace will reflect stability".
Shaher Sae’d, General Secretary of PGFTU to Ofer Eini, Chairman, The Histadrut
Why should British trade unions aim to undermine the relationship between trade unions on the ground when real progress is being made? Calls for a boycott can only damage the interest of both Palestinian and Israeli workers. What trade unionists need in the region is solidarity, engagement and respect, not divisive calls that only help the extremists.
Who is calling for a boycott?
There has been no official Palestinian call for a boycott of Israel. And it makes sense to listen and follow the decisions of the people living in the region.
The PFGTU message to the TUC congress in September 2008 included no reference to a boycott; the launch of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) in Vienna - with both the Histadrut and the PGFTU present - involved no reference to a boycott; the elected Palestinian Authority has not called for a boycott of Israel; Israel’s old foes Egypt and Jordan, who now have direct trade links with Israel, have not called for a boycott against Israel; and the roadmap peace plan specifically calls for the normalisation, not the opposite, of trade relations between other states and Israel. So why should British trade unions call for a boycott?
The Histadrut
Israel has a strong, democratic trade union movement that does exemplary work, fighting for workers’ rights and securing significant benefits for working people such as: a 5% wage rise for all public sector workers and pension cover for the entire private sector workforce.
The Histadrut unites thousands of union members in one organisation, regardless of religion, race or gender. It currently has over 200,000 Arab members and Arabs hold positions at every level in the Histadrut organisation. The head of their International Department is an Arab-Israeli, Nawaf Massalha. The organisation regularly criticises the Israeli Government and strongly supports the peace process and a two state solution. This is widely recognised by the PGFTU.
The Histadrut is also affiliated to the International Trades Union Confederation (ITUC). Instead of attacks, the international trade union movement could show solidarity with fellow workers and one of the only trade union federations in the entire Middle East.
Unions aiming to play positive role
A number of trade unions have dropped their boycott policies and are instead trying to help, not hinder. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) dropped its policy in July 2007; reaffirming this in a motion at their 2008 congress, and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) also changed its position and rejected any boycott of Israel, calling for solidarity with both Israeli and Palestinian workers.
The same is happening around the world. The National Secretary of the Australian Workers Union (AWU), Australia’s largest union, recently condemned moves to boycott the Histadrut (Israeli TUC) and Israeli goods, calling them counter-productive and a “knee-jerk reaction”. American and German unions have also openly stated their disagreement with boycott proposals.
TUFI believes that trade unionists can play a constructive role in helping people working for peace on both sides and can make an important contribution in bringing an end to decades of suffering. TUFI works with a number of peace groups that trade unions could also support.
Sister Union Work
In 2008, the BFAWU (Bakers’ Union) invited two delegates to attend its annual conference from its sister unions in Israel and a Palestine. Both delegates addressed the conference and received a standing ovation, and both gave an overview of their unions’ work and stressed their wish for peace, understanding and dialogue amongst the unions in the region. The RMT did the same at its annual conference in 2009, inviting transport union representatives from Israeli and Palestinian trade unions.
Trade unionists can play a constructive role in helping people working for peace on both sides and can make an important contribution in bringing an end to decades of suffering.
Support positive action within your trade union:
Work to establish and expand links with both Palestinian and Israeli trade unionists. TUFI can help arrange sister union engagement with the appropriate unions.
Request your union to send members on one of TUFI’s delegations in order for them to gain first-hand experience of the situation and report back to other union members.
Support and encourage your union to engage positively with both the Histadrut and the PGFTU.
Argue against calls for a boycott and support initiatives to help bring Israelis and Palestinians together.
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