CWA Local 7250 Solidarity with Palestinian Workers
On Saturday, December 16th, Communications Workers of America Local 7250 hosted a zoom forum featuring Imad Temiza, officer and international spokesperson for the Palestinian Postal Service Workers Union (and affiliate to the Communications Workers Union - Palestine) who talked about his history in the trade unions, the impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian workers, and the current brutal assault against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.
Brother Temiza ended his presentation with a harrowing video showing the impact of the Israeli bombing on the people of Gaza - especially on the children. UNICEF reports that over 10,000 infants, children and youth have been killed by Israel during this current onslaught.
Following Brother Temiza's talk, new CWA 7250 member Mariam Asad from Sassafras Tech presented a brief but thorough presentation of the history of Palestine and Israeli colonisation - including its impact on her own family.
Olivia Katbi spoke next on the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement - a non-violent Palestinian-led movement for freedom, justice and equality opposing Israeli occdupation and apartheid. Sister Katbi is a National Education Association union member and North American coordinator of the BDS Movement.
The event finished with a Q&A and discussion period. CWA 7250 Steward Hector Capote thanked the participants and said that the event touched him and opened his mind to the Plestinian experience. We were pleased to have approximately 50 attendees on the zoom, including members of our Local, several other CWA Locals, and CWA District 7 Vice President Susie McAllister. Activists from several other unions also attended including Minneapolis Federation of Teachers, Teamsters, UFCW, and the Nonprofit Professional Employees Union.
Previously the membership of CWA Local 7250 had voted overwhelmingly at the November membership meeting to sign on to and endorse a petition initiated by the United Electrical (UE) workers and UFCW Local 3000 calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Dozens of unions including the national United Auto Workers (UAW) and the Chicago Teachers Union (CTU) have also signed on to this call. CWA 7250 will be forwarding this call to the higher bodies within CWA for review and action. This followed a statement approved by the CWA Local 7250 Executive Board (by a vote of 4 For, 0 Against, 4 Abstensions) in solidarity with Palestinian unions and their call to end international support for Israel's apartheid regime, occupation of Palestsinian lands, and war against Gaza.
