National Delegate Conference 21-24 June 2011

Wednesday Briefing 2: Palestine: ‘Critical engagement’ essential to the struggle

UNISON has a long internationalist tradition and has been a key player over the years in fighting for justice for Palestinians. It is a key role, with much more influence than is often publicly seen.

That role, along with the home and international trade union congresses, has been underpinned by careful and considered policies, at all times informed by those directly involved in the struggle.

Part of that process saw the PGFTU and Histadrut brought together for full and frank discussions at the STUC in Perth in 2006. That is why it is crucial that the difficult issue of relationships with the Israeli Histadrut union is carefully debated and decisions are made that will have the best chance of taking the campaign for justice for Palestinians forward.

It is a debate that has recurred year on year - and there will be those who would want UNISON to disengage totally with the Histadrut, especially in terms of its position on the occupation and the settlements in Gaza.

However, Motion 89 is clear that it wants to continue 'critical engagement' with Histadrut and that is the best way to bring our influence to bear. That is the UNISON Scotland position.

A position that is controversial but one taken in full consultation with the PGFTU and taken for practical purposes to promote the Palestinian cause. UNISON contact with Histadrut will only be there if it serves a purpose in taking forward the Palestinian cause and if it accords with the PGFTU's agenda.

In reporting to the STUC in April, Scotland's Mike Kirby explained why and how the STUC had maintained its position of 'critical engagement' with Histadrut. "Whilst being strongly critical of Histadrut on many occasions, The PGFTU in its many communications with STUC, over a long period, has never explicitly advocated that STUC severs its links with Histadrut.”

Mike acknowledged the significant pressure under which PGFTU operates and the fact that a number of PGFTU affiliates propose a severing of links but he added, "Discussions between my own union UNISON in December 2010 and PGFTU made clear the PGFTU's view that a critical engagement should be maintained with Histadrut for the explicit purpose of pressurising that organisation to take a more vocal public stance against the occupation and settlements."

"The sole current engagement between STUC and Histadrut is in order that STUC can pressurise that organisation over developments specific to our overall aim of supporting Palestinians.

"No engagement outwith that purpose will be entered into without the explicit endorsement of the General Council which will seek to ensure that the aim of the PGFTU that all engagement should be critical is maintained."

International cuts campaign

Recognising that the banking and big business lobby against public services is global, Motion 87 sets out a strategy for an international response. It restates support for the Robin Hood Tax campaign.

Scotland’s amendment 87.2 restates our long standing policy that is critical of EU neo-liberalism and highlights how workers are being made to pay for the finanical crisis in the conditions attached to assistance given to Ireland and Greece.

Lilian Macer is set to speak on this. Motion 76 on Cuts to Benefits and Welfare recognises the issue in relation to individual groups as a consequence of the financial crises and calls for the NEC to continue to actively oppose cuts in the Welfare State.

Aberdeenshire’s amendment focusses on child poverty. Depending how things go, we could get down to 81 Defending Our Rights to Industrial Action.

The Government has trailed a range of new restrictions including a minimum turnout in ballots. Tory MP Dominic Raab tried to introduce a 10 minute rule Bill recently to impose further restrictions on the right to strike with minimum trnouts and votes in ballots.

However the Guardian pointed out at the time that General Election Raab polled 32,134 votes in Esher and Walton, less than 50% in a constituency of 76,962 electors, more than a quarter of whom did not even bother to vote... ‘yet Raab's election was not annulled’.

Trade unions in the UK are already shackled like no others in the developed world and we must resist further attacks.

Scotland’s amendment 81.1 urges the union to get the best advice possible and use that, Human Rights and European legislation to defend trade union rights.

Glasgow City has an interest in Motion 30 on Public Services, calling for co-ordinated action to protect services.

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