The Gaza Freedom March is over and participants have issued a declaration in Cairo which will be of interest to trade unionists for two reasons.  First, it explicitly focusses on trade unions and second, it is signed by a number of trade unionists.

The declaration (full text here) proposes the following action points, among others:

“An international speaking tour in the first 6 months of 2010 by Palestinian and South African trade unionists and civil society activists, to be joined by trade unionists and activists committed to this programme within the countries toured, to take mass education on BDS directly to the trade union membership and wider public internationally;”

That’s the very first point in the action plan.

Later on the declaration calls for “a systematic unified approach to the boycott of Israeli products, involving consumers, workers and their unions in the retail, warehousing, and transportation sectors;” and also “campaigns to encourage divestment of trade union and other pension funds from companies directly implicated in the Occupation and/or the Israeli military industries.”

Trade unions are clearly central to the ongoing campaign promoting boycotts, divestments and sactions targetting the Jewish state.

Signatories to the Cairo declaration include five identified as COSATU officials from South Africa and three from the USA (including from Labor for Palestine and New York City Labor Against the War).