From the Workplace to Palestine: Building Worker Solidarity
Find Your Union
As workers in Scotland face rising living costs, job insecurity, and worsening conditions, trade unions are the most effective tool for collective power in the workplace. For those committed to solidarity with Palestine, unions are also a key organising space where that solidarity can be turned into collective action.
We encourage all workers, including those who are unemployed, or have caring responsibilities, students, volunteers, or the retired, to join and actively participate in a trade union.
Unions are not service providers, but democratic organisations built through participation, organising, and collective decision-making.
A union is only as strong as its members: Membership alone is not enough. The strength of a union comes from active members shaping its direction, building workplace organisation, and taking collective decisions together. Unions shift power from the individual to the collective. On your own, it is difficult to challenge workplace conditions or raise concerns about international complicity. Together, workers have leverage.
Choosing a union in Scotland: There is no “best” union in the abstract. The most effective choice is usually the union that already organises your workplace or sector, as this is where recognition and bargaining power already exist. Where no union is currently active, joining is still a step toward building organisation and future recognition. Most unions will have a retired members section which allows members to continue to be active, whilst Unite Community Branches cater for those who are not in employment, there is a union for everyone!
Unions as a tool for Palestine solidarity: Trade unions in Scotland have a long tradition of international solidarity, but building workplace solidarity for Palestine requires us to organise.
Start locally;
- speak to colleagues
- identify shared concerns
- engage through your branch
Examples;
- submit motions calling for solidarity actions, humanitarian support, or ethical workplace policies
- raise discussions on Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) and the products and services present in the workplace
- propose branch statements or “Apartheid Free Zone” commitments. Invite speakers or organise educational meetings on Palestine
Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign work with trade union branches and can provide support and:
- speakers and education
- campaign coordination
- shared organising resources
Focus on collective values
Support grows when grounded in shared principles:
- workers’ rights
- opposition to racism, occupation, injustice and inequality
- humanitarian concern
Framing solidarity in these terms helps build unity and avoids unnecessary division
Be strategic and democratic
Workplace organising requires patience and collective agreement. Not all unions and branches will be ready for the same actions at the same time.
Strong union organising depends on:
- building support
- respecting democratic procedures
- maintaining cohesion while organising for change
Take the first step
The first step is joining a union and becoming active within it. What matters most is not just membership, but how workers organise together to shape their workplace and their union. There are 43 STUC-affiliated trade unions representing around 560,000 workers across Scotland. If you are unsure which union applies to your workplace, the STUC or TUC union finder can help guide you.