CWU unanimously passes motion on Veolia at conference in Bournemouth
Today the Communication Workers Union (CWU) in the UK adopted a policy targeting Veolia due to its complicity in the illegal Israeli occupation.
The motion (text below), tabled by Harrow and District branch of CWU, was endorsed by the National Executive Council of the CWU and was passed unanimously after several speakers addressed conference in support of Palestinian human rights. Ian Ward speaking on behalf of the National Executive Council reiterated the union’s commitment to working with Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and to press employers, like Royal Mail, to end their contracts with Veolia.
The conference also heard from telecommunications worker Yazid Rimawi, from Ramallah, who described the hardship of Palestinian workers under Israeli military rule, and the losses incurred by the telecommunications industry in Palestine due to the direct restrictions imposed by the Israeli state. Conference responded by giving Yazid a standing ovation for his heartfelt speech.
Pictures here: https://flic.kr/s/aHskawiJSN
Motion 86: Category A: Conference welcomes the union’s continuing support for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Conference registers the successful actions taken by PSC supporters to break company and local council commercial links to Veolia. This follows from Veolia’s direct complicity with the Israeli Government illegal policy of establishing settlements on Palestinian land. In particular, Veolia has been a leading partner in the City Pass consortium that built the light rail tramway linking West Jerusalem to illegal settlements in occupied East Jerusalem.
Given this solution, Conference agrees to support initiatives to press employers to end contracts with Veolia cleaning services. The NEC is instructed accordingly.