42-year old military occupation of Palestine, based on CUPE B.C.'s The Wall Must Fall and CUPE Ontario's Towards Peace and Justice in the Middle East; and 2.
Organize a delegation of CUPE members to Palestine to investigate first hand why increasingly leaders like South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu call the current situation a present-day apartheid; and
3.
Investigate and develop policy regarding divestment of CUPE National funds invested in Israel or in corporations involved within the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.
BECAUSE: • The situation today in Israel has been described by South African observers as worse than the old apartheid regime of South Africa; and • In 2005, over 170 Palestinian organizations issued a call for a global campaign of boycotts and divestment against Israel similar to those imposed against South African apartheid; and • In May 2009, CUPE 1979 participated in a delegation to Israel and Palestine where it witnessed the devastating effects of Israeli apartheid policies; and • All the organizations met by the delegation, including Palestinian and Jewish organizations in Israel, reiterated the call to support the BDS campaign, stating that it was the single most effective action the international solidarity movement could undertake to help bring about a just and lasting peace.
BECAUSE: • Working people in Palestine lack ready access to their workplaces, medical care, water, housing because the military occupation denies their basic civil, human and labour rights; and • This past winter we witnessed the indiscriminate bombing of thousands of Gazan civilians; and • Divestment campaigns were instrumental in the struggle to liberate South Africa from apartheid; and • Diplomatic efforts during the last 42 years of military occupation have not been successful in ending the military occupation and establishing a just peace for Israel and Palestine.
NEB decision - MOTION TO NOT PROCEED WITH
Resolution No. 255 Submitted by Locals 3907 (Ont.), 2153 (Man.) CUPE NATIONAL WILL: 1.
Undertake a public and member education campaign in collaboration with community partners, and other unions on systematic sexual violence against women and the plundering of natural resources by multinational corporations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC); and
2.
Use its own resources to leverage a national educational and fundraising tour by relevant Congolese stakeholders; and
NEB decision - COVERED BY RESOLUTION 252
Resolution No. 254 Submitted by Local 1979 (Ont.) CUPE NATIONAL WILL: 1.
Support the international campaign of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it fully complies with UN resolutions and international law, notably by dismantling the separation wall, recognizing the right of return of Palestinian refugees, and putting an end to its occupation of Palestinian territories; and
3.
Lobby unions and the CLC to contribute resources to women's advocacy organizations to lobby and educate political authorities as well as to credible Congolese NGOs that are doing on-the-ground rehabilitative, skills development and/or incomegenerating initiatives with women who have experienced sexual violence; and
2.
Work with human rights organizations to call for an end to all acts of violence that take the lives of innocent people in Israel and the occupied territories.
4.
Initiate the organizing work for a solidarity visit to the DRC by a delegation of labour and women's organizations, faith groups, political leaders and other stakeholders.
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