Letter: For Labor Action to Stop U.S./Israeli Genocide in Gaza

12 April 2024

Dear Workers Vanguard,

This is the April 5 flyer I put out to get my union, ILWU Local 10, to call a May Day stop-work protest in the Oakland port to demand an end to the genocide in Gaza. Unfortunately, I got only two other votes in the executive board for my motion. The Local 10 leadership refuses to sponsor a port protest. Instead, they are having a business union meeting in the morning, leaving members free to support Bay Area pro-Palestinian solidarity rallies in the afternoon. But scattered street protests won’t stop the slaughter—we need to mobilize labor’s power to threaten the ruling class’ interests here at home! An official labor protest in the Oakland port would have pointed the way. Many labor leaders support the demand for a Gaza ceasefire, but none will break with the Democratic Party of genocide to do what would actually make a difference: use labor’s power to stop the flow of bombs and other war material to Israel. I urge others to fight in their unions for official union action to stop the genocide.

Emily Turnbull
Member of Executive Board, ILWU Local 10

Millions around the world have come out to protest the U.S.-backed Israeli war against Gaza. But these protests haven’t stopped the genocide. Our rulers continue to send billions of dollars in arms and other military equipment to Israel. They won’t stop backing their Zionist ally unless they fear that their interests here at home are threatened. That is why it is desperately necessary for the working class to act now to stop the genocide and free Palestine—including by blocking the flow of arms to Israel.

Workers in this country have every interest in backing the struggle for Palestinian freedom. The American ruling class has deindustrialized this country, destroyed infrastructure and ruined public education, putting the squeeze on all of us. On the world stage they spend billions to prop up their outposts like Israel and to defend their investments abroad. It’s time we fought back! The ILWU International leadership is in Genocide Joe’s pocket. Local 10 leaders boast of their support to the Palestinians. The situation demands we act now! We have already scheduled a stop work meeting for May 1. No business as usual! Let’s use our stop work to call a protest in the Oakland port and rally the rest of the ILWU and other Bay Area unions behind us.