Practical Campaigning for Palestine - Trade Unions for Palestine

The Britain - Palestine Twinning Network - "promoting twinning and friendship links"

Trade Unions Unions twinning with Palestine

On this page; How to go about it - Suggested motion - Trade Unions

How to go about getting a Trade Union affiliated to your campaign

TU's are also an opportunity to spread the word about twinning and your campaign.

You will need to get a local union member to get their branch to pass a motion suggesting affiliation to your group and also submit a resolution proposing the same at the next Trades Council meeting. If passed, this will allow the circulation of your material to other branches, and make it easier to approach them.

Basically, your local branch needs to carry a motion agreeing to send a delegate to the local TUC AGM, and submit a proposal to affiliate to your campaign.

Suggested Union motion (add or remove whatever is relevant to your campaign)

This Union Branch / Trades Council meeting condemns the continued illegal military occupation of the West Bank of Palestine, the extension of Israeli settlements and the separation wall in that territory in breach of international law, the 2004 judgment by the ICJ and numerous UN resolutions.

This Union Branch / Trades Council meeting notes;

1 - The [Your town] Twinning initiative to formally and informally twin [Your town] with [Twinned town] in Palestine.

2 - The recent visit by a local delegation to Palestine which took place in [Date here]. The delegation went on a fact finding mission and to investigate twinning arrangements between our two towns / cities.

3 - The Palestine General Federation of Trade Union's call to send delegations to Palestine.

4 - The Twinning Committees initiative to raise funds to bring a delegation of Palestinians to [Your town] to speak at meetings and events.

5 - That the Palestinians need ongoing support and solidarity in their struggle against occupation.

(CONTINUED) This meeting agrees to;

a) Affiliate to the [Your Town] Palestine Solidarity Group and / or The [Your campaign] Friendship Association.

b) Invite a speaker to discuss the campaign for friendship links between [Your town] and the West Bank / Gaza community of [Twinned town] which has been cut off from neighbouring communities by the Wall
(where the branch is already affiliated, send a copy of this motion to the local Trades Council).

c) The Palestine General Federation of Trade Union's call to send delegations to Palestine

d) Add our name to the [Your Town] - [Twinned town] Friendship Association friendship statement,
(ADD) - calling on [Your town] to officially twin with (Twinned town].

e) Donate £ …………… towards the twinning campaign.

f) Investigate sending a delegation or a delegate on a future solidarity visit.

g) To write to any sponsored M.P.'s to request that they endorse the Twinning proposal.

h) To seek to obtain support for the twinning proposal within other local bodies of this union.

Trade Unions affiliated to Palestine Campaigns;

ASLEF, AUT (Association of University Teachers), BECTU, CATU, CWU, CYWU, FBU (Fire Brigades Union), GMB, NATFHE, NUM, NUT (National Union of Teachers), PCS, RMT, TSSA, TGWU, TUC, UCATT, UNIFI (Amicus), UNISON.

More information;

Trade Unions in the U.K. - www.tuc.org.uk/tuc/unions_main.cfm

Trade Union Friends of Palestine - www.tufp.org.uk

Teacher Friends of Palestine - www.teacherfriendsofpalestine.org

Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions - www.pgftu.org

Some local Trades Council links; Links 1 - Links 2

Twinning with Palestine