As trade unionists in Scotland, we express our unwavering solidarity with our comrades in Palestine. We understand the Palestinian struggle to be part of a broader struggle for freedom, equality and justice, and the liberation of oppressed people as being inextricably linked to the struggles of workers in Scotland and elsewhere.
We pledge to demonstrate our solidarity with Palestinian workers through action and active participation in the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS). We further commit to encouraging our fellow trade unionists, friends, family and communities to do the same.
Palestinian workers call for solidarity
We recognise that Palestinian workers suffer severely under Israel’s regime of settler colonialism and apartheid. As the butchery has escalated, a primary objective of Israel’s far right regime has included the systematic targeting of workers such as healthcare workers and journalists.
Decades of methodical destruction of the Palestinian economy, implementation of discriminatory and racist laws, and restrictions on freedom of movement and association have impacted significantly on the rights and working conditions of Palestinian workers. Despite operating under these conditions, trade unions have long been at the heart of the struggle for freedom, justice, and equality.
We recognise that all major Palestinian trade unions are signatories to the Palestinian civil society call for BDS. Palestinian workers and trade unions have for 20 years appealed to trade union bodies internationally and to rank and file trade union members to take action.
Our role
Our trade unions must play a key role in supporting the struggles of workers and the Palestinian people who face an existential threat under Israeli genocide and ethnic cleansing. Our solidarity work should include engaging and building links with progressive unions such as the Palestine New Federation of Trade Unions (the New Unions).
Many of our unions have endorsed BDS, but in practice this is often not fully enacted. We commit to building a rank-and-file understanding which correctly frames the Palestinian struggle as anti-racist, anti-colonial and anti-capitalist. It is in our power to ensure our unions implement policy and we will work to realise this and to oppose anti-Palestinian racism in all its forms.
Further, we offer our unequivocal support to and applaud the example of workers who are refusing to handle BDS non-compliant goods.
Defend our rights
Domestic repression is inevitable when aggression overseas is met with opposition and resistance. Repression at home has included smears of racism, numerous political trials of activists in Scotland, a growing number of political prisoners following direct action, and an armed response to activists holding a supermarket protest in Aberdeen. As Trump was rounding up and deporting students who protest the slaughter in Gaza, police raided the Quaker meeting house in London to arrest six women holding a meeting over the climate and Gaza. The tyranny is the same, driven by service to the interests of the rich and powerful.
Anti-Palestinian racism does not only target Palestinians but also their advocates to dehumanise and discredit Palestinians, their history, identity and lived experience. We stand in incontrovertible solidarity with all those suffering such repressive measures domestically and internationally.
Apartheid Free Zones
Just as Palestinians are steadfast in their resistance to occupation, settler colonialism, apartheid and genocide, we stand with them in solidarity and comradeship. We can start by declaring our support for BDS and Palestinian freedom, equality and justice by making our trade union branches and trades councils Apartheid Free Zones.
This statement has been initiated by the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign trade union working group, and is published to coincide with the STUC St Andrews Day anti racist march and rally 2025. The statement remains open for you to sign NOW
Signatory Organisations:
Iver Bimson, on behalf of RMT
John Dennis, Dumfries, on behalf of Dumfries & Galloway Trade Union Council
Derek Durkin, Edinburgh, on behalf of Trade Unions In Communities
Hussein Ezzedine, Edinburgh, on behalf of ASLEF Edinburgh No1 Branch
Sylvia Haughney, Falkirk, on behalf of UNISON
Ruth Horsfall, Edinburgh, on behalf of PCS Scottish Government Group
Alicia Kopiej, Kirkcaldy, on behalf of Unite Community Tayside and Fife
Babs Macgregor, Glasgow, on behalf of workers.coop
Robert Wicksted, Edinburgh, on behalf of ASLEF Edinburgh No2 Branch
Esmond Sage, Aberdeen, on behalf of UNISON Aberdeen City branch
Signatories in a personal capacity:
Tony Adams, Glasgow EIS and NUJ
Sarah Alam, Glasgow, Unite the Union
Charlie Allanson-Oddy, Edinburgh, Unite and IWW
Jamie Bolland, Glasgow, Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS)
Chr Brennan, Shotts, Unite
Maria Brichs, Edinburgh, Unison
Laurie Byrne Rains, Dundee, Unite
David Cannon, London, Unite the Union
Tony-Peter Carter, Fraserburgh, Unison
Carole Clohesy, Huntly, NEU
Maggie Chapman, Aberdeen, Unite the Union
Allan Connal, Cumbernauld, GMB
Andy Crichton, Ladybank, Unite Community
Kimberley Davidson, Innerleithen, Unison
Jane Davidson, Edinburgh, Unison
Emma Donnelly, Glasgow, Unite Hospitality Glasgow
CarolAnne Duncan, Glasgow, EIS
Derek Durkin, Edinburgh, Unite
Erin Farley, Dundee, Unison
David Hainey, Motherwell, RMT & North Lanarkshire Trade Union Council
Tony Hickie, Aberdeen, PCSU (retired)
Naomi Junnor, Glasgow, Unison
Theresa Keenan, Glasgow, Unite the Union
Aliki Kalliopi Chiotaki, Edinburgh, Unison
Lindsay Giffen, Campbeltown, Unison
Stuart Graham, Glasgow, Unison
Peter Gunn, Glasgow, Retired
Sharon Iddir, Dunfermline, EIS
Susan Kelly, Edinburgh, Unite the Union
David Kirkwood, Wishaw, UNITE
Louise Kowalska, Edinburgh, PCS Scottish Government Group
John Robertson, Glasgow, Unison
James Lafferty, Motherwell, ASLEF
Helen Leaver, Edinburgh, Retired
Jim Lister, Glasgow, Unite the Union
James McCabe, Bo’ness, Unison NHS Retired member.
Tara McCarthy, Prestonpans, Unison
Deborah MacFadyen, Glasgow, Unison
David MacFadyen, Glasgow, Unison
Rene McDonald, Glasgow, NUJ
Eve Macdonald, Edinburgh, Accord
Katherine McGowan, Dingwall, Unison
Sara McGregor, Newburgh, Unison
Mhairi McKean, Glasgow, Unison and Unite
John McKenzie, Duns, FBU
Craig Maclean, Edinburgh, NUJ
Kathie Mclean Toremar, Dunoon, Unison
Jeff McDermott, St Andrews, Unison
Donald McKenzie, Edinburgh, Unison
James McSporran, Lochgilphead, RCN
Chris Main, St Andrews, Unite Retired Members
Jim Malone, Dundee, FBU
Alan Marshall, Glasgow, Unite West of Scotland Community Branch
Juliet Molteno, Alva, Unison
Peter Moonie, Bonnyrigg, UNISON
Douglas Murdoch, Dunbar, Unite the Union unemployed member
Aisa Nebreda, Ardrishaig, Unison
Gabriel Neil, Dunfermline, PCS
Lia Nogueira, Peterhead, Unison
Annie Ogletree, Edinburgh, Unison Retired member
Charley O’Hear, Paisley, Unison
Alec Ohnstad, Lochgilphead, NASUWT
Peter Olech, Edinburgh, Unite Edinburgh Community
Morven Ovenstone-Jones, Fife, SSTA
W M Oswald, Glasgow, Unite the Union
Alex Pandolfo, Morecambe, UCU retired members
John Pinto, Edinburgh, UCU
Mark Rivers, Macduff, BECTU (Prospect)
Anna Robertson, Aberdeen, PCS
Kevin Robertson, Falkirk, Unite the Union
Martin James Rushford, Kilmarnock, Unison
Damian Sefton, Edinburgh, UNISON
Eileen Simpson, Edinburgh, EIS
Stephen Smellie, Hamilton, Unison
Fiona Stoddart, Glasgow, Unite
Iain Trotter, Dumfries, RMT
Tom Worthington, BECTU
Lesedi Vine, Edinburgh, Unite the Union
Anne Marie Woods, Belfast, NEU
Jurgen Wolf, Cairnbaan, retired member
Marion Young, Motherwell, TSSA retired