Why Palestine Is (Still) a Labour Issue

At our last OFL Convention, two years ago, we were meeting in the midst of Israel’s escalating war on Gaza and a growing Palestine solidarity movement.

Two weeks after October 7, the OFL became the first provincial labour federation in Canada to call for an immediate ceasefire, the safe return of all hostages and political prisoners, and the restoration of aid to Gaza.

By the time our Convention happened, nearly a thousand delegates had discussed, debated, and passed several anti-war and Palestine solidarity resolutions, including supporting the demand for a two-way arms embargo against Israel.

I turned the last part of my Secretary-Treasurer’s report at that Convention into a call for solidarity with the Palestinian people and, despite the warnings not to mention Gaza in my speech, the entire Convention erupted into chants of “Ceasefire now! Ceasefire now!”

This moment was an important turning point for me as a labour leader.

I was inspired by the bravery and principle of Sarah Jama, but also hurt and angered by how she was treated by her own party–a party I still call my own–simply for telling the truth.

What happened to Sarah would happen to countless other people who showed any kind of support for Gaza and an end to the war: an unprecedented wave of retaliation and repression that included bullying, harassment, discipline or termination at work, state surveillance, and even arrest.

Even as it became clear that a genocide was underway in Gaza, including a state-imposed famine, the repression continued–especially among non-union workers, but also those in unions.

The experience deepened my understanding of the role of labour in supporting international solidarity, and in seeing its connection to the most immediate issues in our movement.

Workers living in Canada have their own interest in supporting the Palestinian people. When anyone faces repression at work, simply for what they believe, or the language they speak, or the part of the world they come from, or the faith they practice, or what they wear on their lapel or head, then all workers and our rights are at risk.

When we let our government pour billions into war and militarism, that comes at the expense of our own social programs, such as health care and education, and other necessities of life.

When one group of people is suffering somewhere else in the world, it creates global instability and erodes everyone’s safety and security.

Two years later, at this Convention, we have an opportunity to renew and deepen our support for Palestine solidarity, and on some very urgent fronts. As we reflect on the repression that targeted workers, many of them Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim, we need to name, oppose, and campaign against Anti-Palestinian Racism.

Twenty years ago, the term “Islamophobia” was contested, but workers, following the lead of students, joined the fight against this form of racism, and helped shine a spotlight on it. Unions also fought for official recognition of the term, but also started using it in their own practice right away.

We need to do the same for Anti-Palestinian Racism.

Another urgent front is the Hot Cargo Kills campaign led by Labour for Palestine (L4P), whose members helped pass key resolutions on Palestine at our last convention. The campaign is built around a ground-breaking report, “Exposing Canadian Military Exports to Israel,” which documents the Canadian government’s role in supplying weapons and military equipment to Israel while the genocide continues.

I urge delegates to support all resolutions in solidarity with Palestine at this Convention.

But we need to go a step further, and think about how we’re deepening support for these issues in each of our workplaces. It’s not enough to pass a resolution here, and then never think about it again when we go home.

We need a strategy to talk to rank-and-file members in all our workplaces about why we’re in solidarity with Palestine and why they should be, too.

Earlier today, as we were opening our Convention, a ceremony to mark the raising of the Palestinian flag at Toronto City Hall was underway across the street from us. I wish I could have seen it, but I took comfort in the fact that so many of you, who do this work in your locals and your communities, helped make that event a reality.

Let’s mark the successes we’ve had since the last Convention, but also recognize how much more work is ahead of us.

Palestine is, always has been, and always will be a labour issue.

Free, free Palestine!

#WorkersFirst #OFL2025 #Gaza #FreePalestine