TUC Congress delegates in Liverpool on Tuesday voted for composite motion C22: ‘Right to boycott’ from the National Education Union.
Moving the motion, Louise Regan, NEU, said: ‘Congress, we have a very proud history in the trade union movement of standing in solidarity with the Palestinians.
‘Today, Palestinians need that solidarity more than ever after the election of Israel’s most extreme, far right ethno nationalist government in its history.
‘We have seen this government ramp up its system of oppression which a consensus of the respected international human rights community now recognises as meeting the definition of apartheid.
‘It is a government that has embarked on the annexation of the West Bank, accelerated colonisation of Palestinian land, the destruction of Palestinian homes and schools.
‘A government that is encouraging and supporting armed settlers to conduct pogroms of Palestinian villages – 17 villages attacked by settlers in one week alone earlier this year with homes set ablaze.
‘Our government, instead of confronting this reality continues to treat Israel as a democratic ally.
‘Instead of subjecting it to sanctions as it did to Russia, it launches a road map that promises an extension of free trade, removes any principle of excluding settlements and contains not a single mention of the word occupation or apartheid.
‘Rather than taking action as it has with Ukraine to encourage public bodies to introduce their own divestments and boycotts, it instead plans to introduce an anti-boycott law specifically designed to prevent public bodies from divesting from companies complicit in supporting Israel’s violations of international law.
‘If passed, this Bill would undermine ethical investment and procurement by public bodies by restricting the consideration of human and workers’ rights, international and environmental concerns linked to the behaviour of a foreign state.
‘It would disrupt a whole range of legitimate campaigns for social and climate justice.
‘That is why a coalition of more than 70 civil society groups have joined PSC to oppose the Bill.
‘Although the Bill affects core freedom, the government has made it clear the main target is the Palestinian BDS movement.
‘Congress, this Bill seeks to deprive the Palestinian people the right to call for the non-violent tactic of boycott and divestment to end their oppression.
‘Importantly, this motion calls for not only opposition to the anti-boycott Bill, but rejection of any attempt to delegitimise the Palestinian call for BDS or to suggest that Palestinians should be denied the right to appeal to people of conscience for support.
‘Finally congress, we must make clear to the Labour Party that in opposing the Bill at its third reading, they must oppose it in its entirety, with no attempt to delegitimise the Palestinian call for BDS.
‘Congress, as I said at the start, we have a long and proud history of supporting the Palestinian people.
‘But Congress, time is running out as more and more Palestinian land is stolen – we have to act now.
‘Nelson Mandela said: “we know too well that our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians”.
‘Congress, none of us are free until all of us are free.
‘Please support the motion and continue to fight for justice and freedom for Palestine.’
Seconder Liz Wheatley, Unison, said: ‘We have been calling for ethical procurement. This Bill will stop our councils’ pension funds from boycotting companies who are profiteering from Israeli occupation.
‘Last year I went to Palestine as part of a Unison delegation.
‘Palestinian rights organisations asked us what we are going to do about the occupation.’
The TUC Council supported the motion, with General Secretary Paul Nowak referring delegates to the policy passed at the 2021 TUC Congress supporting the boycott of products from Israeli settlements.
The motion states: ‘The current right-wing Israeli government, having launched its biggest military incursion in the West Bank in two decades, is announcing new illegal settlements, expelling Palestinians from East Jerusalem and Masafer Yatta, demolishing homes and schools, and failing to prevent armed settlers from rampaging through villages killing and attacking Palestinians, destroying homes and agricultural lands.
- The Israeli military has this year killed more than 180 Palestinians.
Congress further notes:
- The Government’s Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill would undermine ethical investment and procurement by public bodies by restricting the consideration of human and workers’ rights, international law and environmental concerns, linked to the behaviour of a foreign state. It damages freedom of speech, local democracy, devolution and pension scheme members’ rights.
- The legislation would shield the Israeli government from accountability, alongside companies complicit in its occupation, by legislating to silence those trying to achieve change.
Congress believes:
- Any attempt to delegitimise the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions and to suggest that Palestinians should be denied the right to appeal to people of conscience for support, must be rejected.
- The ability of public authorities, including public sector pension funds, to divest from companies responsible for violations of human rights should be defended.
- Such legislation could have blocked the boycott of goods and companies complicit in Apartheid South Africa.
Congress resolves to:
- Reaffirm support for Palestinian rights, including our commitment to “boycott the goods of companies who profit from illegal settlements, the Occupation and the construction of the Wall”.
- Support the Right to Boycott coalition.
Campaign with affiliates against the Bill.
Delegates also voted for Motion 65: ‘Renewing our fire and rescue service’.
It states: ‘Congress condemns the Tory-led Westminster governments since 2010, which caused terrible damage to our fire and rescue service.
‘Congress believes that deregulation and austerity over decades contributed to the causes of the Grenfell Tower fire, and that ministers should be held to account.
‘Congress notes the impacts of 13 years of Tory rule:
i. savage cuts to the fire and rescue service, resulting in the loss of 12,000 firefighters’ jobs;
ii. fragmentation of local services and a postcode lottery of response standards
iii. attempts to privatise fire and rescue;
iv. exclusion of the FBU from major channels of fire service policymaking;
v. real terms pay cuts for firefighters;
vi. attacks on collective bargaining and the national joint council.
Congress supports the FBU’s demands:
a. long-term and viable investment in the fire and rescue service
b. national standards of fire and rescue service emergency response
c. a new national statutory structure for fire policy and standards, to include the FBU
d. apply the lessons from the Grenfell Tower disaster
e. ensure dedicated emergency fire controls under fire and rescue service governance
f. a public fire and rescue college to ensure necessary training, research and planning
g. separate governance arrangements for fire and rescue and police services
h. a statutory duty on fire and rescue services to respond to major floods in England, as elsewhere in the UK.
Congress supports the FBU’s autumn campaign of lobbies, rallies and UK-wide action.’
Mover for the FBU, Adam Taylor, said: ‘Central funding has been gutted, resulting in the loss of one in five frontline firefighter jobs.
‘Our response times have slowed from six minutes to over nine, and depending on your postcode, some fire engines now arrive with only a crew of three, firefighters facing the public moral pressure to act without safe numbers of firefighters in attendance.
‘It’s a recipe for disaster, endangering the public and our members alike.’
He slammed Tory deregulation, saying ‘it paved the path to the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Building regulations were slashed, and voluntary guidance replaced them. Safety measures were ignored, and justice for Grenfell remains elusive.’
He added: ‘We’ve warned, investigated and shouted from the rooftops. Yet, we’ve been excluded from advisory bodies, while those who helped create this mess are in charge.’
‘It’s more than six years since the Grenfell Tower fire. We have had six years of the public enquiry. There is still no justice for Grenfell.
‘We have to hold private firms and top ministers to account for their failures.
‘Now they want to cut our pay, attack our pensions, and dismantle our collective bargaining structures.
‘Congress, let me be clear, we are in a war, this is a class war, a war of workers versus greed.’
Calling for TUC support and solidarity, he said: ‘Firefighters are in a battle for our public service, and we’re launching a campaign for sustainable investment, UK-wide standards, and a revamped fire safety regime.’
