Australian trade unions back engagement stance on Israel/Palestine

The Australian trade union movement has returned to its traditional position of taking a moderate and balanced stance on the hotly contested issue of Israel-Palestine.

“ The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Congress – the highest decision making body of the Australian union movement – has this month quietly, but firmly, confirmed a balanced position on this contentious issue,” the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU), National Secretary, Paul Howes said today.

At next month’s Australian Labor Party national conference the labour movement will now discuss, at a Fringe Event sponsored by the AWU, practical measures Australian labour activists can take to support peace, justice and reconciliation for Israel/Palestine.

The AWU’s Paul Howes leads Australia’s oldest labour union, and the nation’s biggest blue-collar union the Australian Workers’ Union. He is Vice-President of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, the only peak council and national trade union centre representing the Australian workforce.

Paul Howes is also one of the co-founders of Trade Unions Linking Israel and Palestine (TULIP) set up to respond to the spreading boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement inside trade unions.