European trade union federation for ceasefire in Gaza
While trade unions in Germany are largely silent on the genocide in Gaza, the situation is completely different at international level. The congress of the EPSU (European Public Services Union), which represents 6 million employees through its member unions in the individual countries, met in Bucharest from June 18-20. From Germany, ver.di and the Marburger Bund are member unions.
The congress discussed and passed many important resolutions on the defense of public services and working conditions in the public sector. However, it also passed a resolution on the war in the Middle East. [1]
This resolution makes no distinction between the victims, as we know it from politics and the media in Germany. It names 7th October 2023 as the starting point of the current war, but also states: “We recognize that the policies of Israeli governments over the past decades (well illustrated by the ruthless expansion of illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian territory) are an undeniable factor in the current terrible situation.” The strength of this resolution is that it states in clear terms the ongoing violence against the civilian population:
“However, Israel’s military response to this attack is disproportionate and is to be condemned. According to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 8 May, more than 35,000 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed in the war between Hamas and Israel (including hundreds of health care workers and humanitarian aid workers, 179 of them from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East - UNRWA). There have been even more casualties and many families have been internally displaced. The attacks in Gaza have brought public services to a virtual standstill and destroyed vital infrastructure such as hospitals and other health facilities. A large number of children, women and men have limited or no access to water, food, electricity, shelter, healthcare and other support. Public sector workers are unable to carry out their duties. We are experiencing a major humanitarian crisis that is a clear violation of international law and our shared values. Hunger and misery in Palestine are increasing every day, especially among children and vulnerable people.”
And so the trade union federation also comes to clear demands: “For this reason, we believe that the international community must mobilize all means to end this conflict, obtain the release of the hostages still held by Hamas, lift the blockade of Gaza and enforce human rights for the Palestinian population. We call for the release of Palestinian civilians imprisoned in Israeli jails for political reasons. We recall that the Geneva Convention of 1864 and its Additional Protocols provide standards for the minimum protection of persons and for their humane treatment, as well as basic guarantees of respect for and compliance with individuals who are victims of armed conflict.”
It is also noteworthy that EPSU supports the peaceful demonstrations against the genocide: “We call for the full implementation of the six emergency provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on January 26… …We support peaceful protests and condemn attempts to silence a democratic mobilization.” Something ver.di in Germany unfortunately does not do.
The EPSU statement is available on its website in six languages. It can be downloaded, copied, brought into trade union branches and companies and distributed. This can effectively break the discussion blockade within ver.di, which does not follow the international solidarity of the employees, but the rhetoric of the German state.
Within the trade union ver.di, clear questions should also be put to the board and the delegates at this congress in Bucharest:
- Did you agree to this resolution or not?
- If not, why not and who decided?
- If yes, why is it not being publicized and implemented? Why is ver.di not calling for a ceasefire and for demonstrations against the genocide?
- Why is it not on the ver.di website? Why is the EPSU solidarity declaration on Ukraine there, but not the one on Gaza? Why is there no report on this congress?
International solidarity and the fight for trade union democracy go hand in hand!
- Datum: 24 October 2024