Washington DC – Influential labor leaders joined progressive lawmakers at the U.S. Capitol to push President Joe Biden’s administration to support a ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip.
At a news conference Thursday, representatives from the United Auto Workers (UAW), United Electrical Workers and American Post Workers Union framed their call as part of a long history of labor movements supporting human rights at home and abroad.
“We know that unions are a bridge to fighting all forms of hatred, phobias, racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, Islamophobia and more,” said Shawn Fain , president of the UAW.
“Now is the time for the rest of our elected leaders to step up and do what it takes to end the violence.” »
The news conference was hosted by Democratic Reps. Cori Bush and Rashida Tlaib, who introduced a bill in October calling for a ceasefire. So far, more than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, as part of the ongoing Israeli military offensive.
“As an activist and organizer and the proud daughter of a former union member, I know that the fundamental message of every guild is to stand with the people, fight for their dignity and defend the interests of the most marginalized,” Bush said at the press conference. press conference.
“Our humanity needs a ceasefire, and that is precisely why I am so happy that unions are here today to join this fight, because we know that unions know how to organize. Unions know how to mobilize, galvanize and energize.
“It’s time for workers to take advantage of our workforce”
Members of Congress and union leaders used the press conference to highlight the political power wielded by unions.
The UAW, for example, represents about 400,000 active members, while the American Postal Service Union has 330,000 workers.
They suggested there could be consequences for Biden at the polls if he ignores their call for a ceasefire.
“While the United States funds Israel’s campaign of terror, we workers are footing the bill for the massacre of innocents in Palestine,” said Janvi Madhani of the United Electrical Workers union.
“This is the time for workers to harness our labor power and voting power to express uncompromising solidarity with the cause of Palestinian freedom. »
Judy Beard, a representative for the American Postal Workers Union, said her organization’s call for a ceasefire reflected broader views among the American public.
“As a union that stands for equality, social justice, human labor rights and international solidarity, we stand together with millions of good people (and) members of Congress,” she said. His union first announced its support for a ceasefire on November 8.
The most “pro-labor” president in history
Biden has long presented himself as the “most pro-union president in American history.”
But while he enjoyed support from the UAW and the American Postal Workers Union during the 2020 presidential race, his refusal to call for a ceasefire could alienate unions as he seeks to be re-elected in 2024.
The Democratic president has been reluctant to criticize the Israeli military offensive in Gaza, citing the country’s “right to defend itself” following the October 7 attack which left 1,200 people dead.
But the ensuing war on Gaza killed thousands, many of them women and children. Entire neighborhoods have been razed, with United Nations experts warning of a “grave risk of genocide” in the Palestinian territory.
The escalation of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza has caused widespread outcry. Even Biden warned that “indiscriminate bombing” could cause Israel to lose public support.
Yet many within Biden’s own party have criticized him for his “unwavering support” for Israel. As of Wednesday, about 62 members of the U.S. Congress had called for a ceasefire, according to the Working Families Party, a left-wing political group.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released last month also showed that 68% of Americans supported calls for a ceasefire. This figure was even higher among Democrats alone.
Rallying union support
Heading into the 2024 presidential race, polls show Biden trailing his primary Republican rival Donald Trump in key states like Michigan, which has large Arab and Muslim American communities.
A Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll released this month shows Trump leading Biden 46% to 42 in a head-to-head matchup in the state.
But Biden has made great strides in trying to court Michigan’s relatively large body of union workers. An estimated 14 percent of “wage workers” in the state are members of a union, which is higher than the national average of 10 percent.
In September, Biden flew to Michigan, where he became the first sitting U.S. president to visit a picket line of UAW strikers.
The auto union, at the time, was in the midst of its first-ever strike against the “big three” automakers: General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The strike was also the union’s longest in nearly a quarter century and resulted in higher wages and better benefits for auto workers.
But Trump also sought to appeal to auto workers during the strike, holding a rally a day after Biden appeared on the picket line.
The UAW has not yet endorsed a candidate for the 2024 race. With its headquarters based in Detroit, Michigan, the company has significant influence in the so-called “Rust Belt” states, where Manufacturing industry has been a historic driver of the local economy.
“I call on the rest of the labor movement to join us in this mission of peace and social justice for all humanity,” UAW President Fain said Thursday, urging other union leaders to join. the call for a ceasefire.
