Photo: Steve Eason
James Farrar, General Secretary, App Drivers and Couriers Union:
People ask, what’s this got to do with ADCU? What’s this got to do with trade unions?
Well, many of our members are workers from war-torn countries – all with deep histories of colonialism, imperialism and oppression. Our members are only all too familiar with the warmongers, the so-called ‘international community’ and the injustice suffered by workers and the poor across the globe.
But it’s also broader than that. Solidarity is the bedrock of trade unionism and as far as we are concerned, solidarity knows no national boundaries. We cannot and will not remain silent as the US, Britain and the rulers who make up the ‘international community’ give Israel the green light to collectively punish and commit war crimes against the Palestinian people before our very eyes. We cannot and will not fail to act to stop genocide and fight for justice, peace and an end to war.
It was the same argument in the past when people argued that we should keep politics out of the trade unions, out of sport. Well we said no then and trade unionists played a crucial role in delivering solidarity to the successful black workers struggles that ended Apartheid in South Africa. We stood firm with John Carlos, Tommie Smith who raised their fists in defiance during the 1968 Olympics (and we will never forget the solidarity of Australian athlete Peter Norman on that same podium).
You have to pick a side and we choose to stand against war, genocide and for Palestinian justice. There is another international community and that is workers, the poor and dispossessed in all countries who hold the potential power as an independent force to deliver genuine peace and justice.
Clausewitz said “War is the continuation of politics with other means”. War represents massive political failure. It is a continuation of the massive political failure of our governments and their oppositions like Starmer’s Labour Party. The mainstream press has failed. The generals have failed.
A recent YouGov poll showed 76% of the population support a ceasefire (only 8% do not). It is our duty to mobilise this potential power to deliver peace and justice for the Palestinian people. Our movement is based on genuine internationalism of human rights, civil rights and workers’ rights and we intend to fight to make our independent voice heard.
There can be no long-term peace without justice for the Palestinians. We call for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the occupation and an end to apartheid.