The moral duty – and democratic mandate – to cut ties with Israeli apartheid
By Sean McNeill
The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) will meet for its national convention in Winnipeg, this May 11 to 15. Thousands of delegates, from dozens of affiliated unions, will join to debate resolutions and an action plan that will set the political direction of the Congress for its next tenure.
Among the many resolutions submitted to convention, CLC affiliates, principled trade unionists and Labour for Palestine are pushing for the “Hot Cargo” resolution, GEN-061, to be debated. However, a majority of the CLC Canada Council appears committed to ensuring the resolution is not put to CLC delegates in Winnipeg.
GEN-061: Hot Cargo resolution
Resolution GEN-061 calls on the CLC to declare trade, services and relationships with Israel to be “hot cargo” and to cut ties with the Israeli trade union outfit, the Histadrut. The resolution also calls for the CLC to endorse the Arms Embargo Now campaign to work with relevant unions in refusing to handle arms shipments to Israel.
GEN-061 resolution was submitted by twelve union bodies, including the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, the National Union of Public General Employees, the Ontario Federation of Labour, several union locals and four labour councils. The twelve submitting bodies received, debated, and endorsed the resolution for submission in their democratic processes.
No other resolution even comes close to having twelve submitters. At most, others have five.
GEN-134: A hollow resolution
Resolution GEN-061 has been ruled “non-concurrent” by the Resolutions Committee, meaning it won’t be put to delegates. In its place, the Resolution Committee has determined resolution GEN-134 is “concurrent”, meaning it could reach the convention floor for debate. GEN-134 is not submitted by any CLC affiiliates but by the CLC leadership itself. GEN-134 is a resolution directing labour to lobby the Canadian government over human rights in Palestine, and makes statements about working with an undefined “international community.” It does not call for breaking ties with Histadrut or endorse the “Hot Cargo” tactic and strategy.
GEN-134 is, by design, a means to cease discussion about this utmost important topic. It is undemocratic. No other resolution has a greater mandate to be debated at convention than GEN-061. The convention is the supreme governing body of the Congress. The Canada Council and Executive are the governing bodies in between conventions. This separation of executive and legislative branches is a core element of Canada’s democracy at all levels.
If GEN-134 comes to the floor instead of GEN-061, a well-prepared and well-organized campaign from the convention floor could put forward amendments to include the endorsement of a Hot Cargo campaign and to break ties with Histadrut.
Which side are you on?
The possibility of the CLC calling on its affiliates to declare Israeli goods and services “hot cargo” has attracted the attention of anti-union forces and supporters of Israel’s genocide and apartheid. This is embodied in an article in the National Post, which couldn’t resist an opportunity to call for the end of the Rand Formula because of labour opposition to Israeli genocide.
Opponents of the “Hot Cargo” campaign and breaking ties with Histadrut are worried a democratic vote on the floor of convention would favour the GEN-061’s ratification. Hot cargo resolutions passed overwhelmingly at provincial federations of labour last year, including Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Ontario. They have been further refined through union-specific resolutions in NUPGE, OPSEU, CUPE, Unifor, PSAC, CUPW, and more. GEN-061 comes from an extensive process of democratic development and scrutiny.
In the past, Canadian workers also have a history of heroically refusing to handle arms and goods destined for apartheid South Africa, Indonesia during its genocide in East Timor, and Chile during the murderous dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet.
It is internationally recognized that Israel is an apartheid state engaged in a genocidal campaign to kill, displace and dispossess the Palestinian people. Political, social and economic relationships of all size and significance aid the continuation of Israel’s apartheid system and genocide of the Palestinian people. If Israeli apartheid is to be defeated, it will only come by way of complete isolation and sanction.
Call on the CLC to stop blocking debate on Hot Cargo – complete the letter petition at https://www.labourforpalestine.com/
Contact your union URGENTLY and demand they stand with democracy, and issue a national call for the CLC to allow the hot cargo resolution to reach debate.
Sean McNeill is a grievance administrator, union activist, and member of Labour for Palestine. He lives in Picton, Ontario.
Good luck with the fight. One which has worked in the past is to move an amendment which would replace the CLC sponsored amendment with GEN 34 in its entirety.
This is a procedural motion and is non-debatable which, if organized in advance, can quickly scuttle the labour fakirs plans.
If it wins, then an another procedural motion moving that resolution to the top of the agenda will also win. Again, non-debatable and will back the CLC bureaucrats off (there are elections coming up)