This article appears in Jungle World (in German) and Talking Union (DSA Labor Network - USA). In early November, Ofer Eini announced the end of his 8-year stint as the head of Israel’s national trade union center, the Histadrut. The…
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Nurses strike continues as gov’t comes under fire
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Nurses strike continues as gov’t comes under fire
Negotiations have resumed in the Israeli nurses strike following a labour court decision not to grant the government’s request for a back-to-work order. The nurses have eased off slightly on their sanctions as more public figures and organizations come…
Worker unrest sweeps through West Bank refugee camps
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Worker unrest sweeps through West Bank refugee camps
Strikes in Palestine may not be as common, or as large scale as those in Israel, but they do occur. This week, it’s the turn of UNRWA employees, the people who work on behalf of the UN refugee agency inside…
Union-backed Palestine Solidarity Campaign forced to distance itself from anti-Semitism yet again
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Union-backed Palestine Solidarity Campaign forced to distance itself from anti-Semitism yet again
This keeps happening to the union-backed “Palestine Solidarity Campaign”, which is the propaganda arm of Hamas in the United Kingdom. The PSC, whose affiliates include some of Britain’s largest trade unions, was forced in recent months to expel proponents of…
Nurses strike enters second week; Netanyahu “has dried up public health system”
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Israel’s nurses have begun their second week on strike as no progress has been reported in negotiations with the Treasury. According to some reports, the nurses are threatening to intensify their actions, effectively shutting down all but emergency procedures in…
Pro-Israel UK group targets Unite, accusing it of supporting Hamas
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Pro-Israel UK group targets Unite, accusing it of supporting Hamas
We Believe in Israel is a grassroots network in the U.K. launched in 2011 following a mass meeting in London attended by over 1,500 participants and supported by 26 community organisations. Though considered to be “pro-Israel”, the group explicitly supports…
Global unions playing a constructive role - training Palestinian journalists
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Global unions playing a constructive role - training Palestinian journalists
The recent decision by Public Services International (PSI), one of the global union federations, to support boycotts, divestments and sanctions, should not blind us to the generally positive role played by global unions in the region. This week, the International…
Huge win for public sector contract workers in Israel
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According to a report in today’s Jerusalem Post, the victory achieved by the Histadrut’s general strike back in February has been translated into positive results on the ground for contract workers employed in the public sector. They will see big…
British and Australian trade unionists visit Israel and Palestine
by ericlee • • Comments Off on British and Australian trade unionists visit Israel and Palestine
While some groups like the “Palestine Solidarity Campaign” organise trips to the region, only Trade Union Friends of Israel (TUFI) takes participants in its trips to visit both countries — Israel and Palestine. TUFI missions allow trade unionists to meet…
Public Services International supports BDS, apartheid slander on Israel
by ericlee • • Comments Off on Public Services International supports BDS, apartheid slander on Israel
Public Services International (PSI) is a global trade union federation representing 20 million public sector workers in 150 countries. Its world congress concluded three days ago in Durban, South Africa. Though a search of the PSI website and its special…