At its biennial conference last weekend, the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (TEEU) unanimously voted to âsupport for a boycott campaign of Israeli goods and services and a policy of disinvestment from Israeli companiesâ as a result of the Israeli stateâs continuing breaches of international law and human rights abuses against the people of Palestinian. The Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) welcomed the passing of the motion[1].
TEEU General President, Frank Keoghan, welcomed the motion saying: âIt is an expression of the solidarity and empathy that members of the TEEU, and indeed all Irish people, feel for the suffering people of Palestine, that this motion received the unanimous support of our Conference.â
The motion was submitted by the TEEUâs Executive Management Committee, and speaking from the floor one delegate outlined the rationale for the motion, saying: âThe global trade union movement has consistently demonstrated its commitment to Palestinian rights by adopting labour-led sanctions as a form of effective solidarity with Palestinians. The TEEU should be proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with our Palestinian trade union brothers and sisters, those brave Israelis â Jewish and Arab – who promote BDS, and those trade unions from Britain, to Belguim, to Canada to South Africa and beyond that have taken the principled decision to support BDS.â
IPSC National Chairperson Freda Hughes praised the passing of the resolution saying: âThe IPSC congratulates the TEEU on passing this historic motion, and we proudly welcome the TEEU into the ranks of the Palestinian-led worldwide Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) coalition that will finally bring to an end Israeli apartheid, occupation and the oppression of the Palestinian peopleâ.
Notes for editors:
[1]: The full text of the motion reads as follows:
Conference pledges its support for a boycott campaign of Israeli goods and services and a policy of disinvestment from Israeli companies as a means of encouraging the Israeli government to comply with International Law and to cease violating the human rights of the Palestinian people and will pursue active engagement with Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups and civic society organisations as appropriate.