Three national unions, the National Education Union, the University College Union and the Public and Commercial Services Union have called upon their members to join the 7th February #StandWithGaza Workplace Day of Action called by StWC and CND. This lays the basis for the largest workplace day of action, calling for a ceasefire and ending the genocide, yet.
At the 400+ strong StWC Trade Union Network meeting on Wednesday, called to discuss Why Palestine is a Trade Union Issue, Eddie Dempsey, the Assistant General Secretary of the RMT added his support for the day of action. Dr Omar Abdel-Mannan from Health Workers for Palestine also announced that they will be organising walkouts on the day. Alongside workers taking action, student campaigning groups will be coordinating walkouts on university campuses.
February 7th is shaping up to be the biggest and most effective workplace day of action yet.
The StWC TU network meeting was a significant step forward in broadening the support within the trade union movement. Unite and CWU members joined local government workers, teachers, lecturers, journalists and hospital workers to share experiences and explain how they were going to deepen the solidarity with Palestine within their unions.
Building for 7th February:
To be able to get the maximum activity on the 7th Feb take the first steps:
- Organise a meeting with your workmates to discuss what you will be doing on the day.
- Take a collection round your workplace for Medical Aid for Palestine.
- If your union has resources in support of Palestine, like posters and flyers take them round your workplace.
- Organise a delegation to the next national demo on Saturday 3rd Feb and join the Trade Union bloc.
- Call a union meeting and put a motion in support of whatever action you decide to take on the 7th Feb.
- Set up a Free Palestine WhatsApp group in your union/workplace.
On the day:
Gauge what action that best fits your circumstances:
- Gather outside your workplace for a 30-minute stoppage.
- If this is not possible gather at lunchtime outside your workplace with a Ceasefire now banner and posters.
- Organise a lunchtime protest inside your workplace. Find a room you can assemble your colleagues to listen to a speaker from Gaza calling for support and after take a photo of all those gathered with posters etc.
- If you don’t work in an industry that has lunch-breaks as such, find out when most are free after work to meet up to protest outside your workplace.
In short, we are looking to collectivise the resistance within the workplace on the 7th February.
Let StWC office know what you are organisng to do on the day so that we can share with others – email: office@stopwar.org.uk