In an outstanding example of international trade union solidarity, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), a global union federation uniting 700 unions representing over 4.5 million transport workers from some 150 countries, has launched a fund-raising drive to support Palestinian drivers.

According to this report on the ITF website, “Leaders of the ITF’s two Palestinian affiliates, the Palestinian General Transport Workers Union (PGTWU) in the West Bank and the Bus Drivers’ Union (BDU) in Gaza, have called for support to rebuild membership in Gaza. In response, the ITF has launched a Solidarity Fund to raise funds for a transport union office in Gaza, to support BDU’s training and organising work.”

“International funding is urgently needed to help BDU get back on its feet and organise workers in Gaza. Workers and their families face severe daily difficulties and need a strong union to support them in the fight for their rights,” says Bilal Malkawi, ITF Arab world regional secretary.

The ITF statement continues: “Workers in Gaza have been traditionally well organised. The ITF’s Bus Drivers Union organised 2,000 bus, taxi and ambulance drivers in Gaza until 2007, when the Hamas government requisitioned the union’s offices and tried to replace it with its own organisation. The union office was later destroyed during an Israeli air raid. Urgent support to rebuild this union is needed.”