Diary: Dispatches from IWW Delegation to Palestine

Meetings, a Strike, and Sightseeing

This morning we met with representatives of the left labor coalition of the Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU)--the PGFTU is the largest trade union in Palestine, similar to the AFL-CIO in the US, and they have also signed onto the boycott. The coalition appreciated our visit and asked for our support, particularly relating to the boycott. The PGFTU is the second oldest trade-union movement in the Arab world, established in 1924. With the founding of Israel in 1948 the trade-union movement disappeared in Palestine, and by 1967 the union involvement that had been revived in the interim dissolved under occupation. After 1967, there was clandestine organization of three workers federations that united to reform the PGFTU after the Oslo accord in 1994.

Since 1967, the Israeli government tried to eliminate the Palestinian economy and turn it into a market solely for Israeli goods. Between 1948 and 1967, Israel succeeded in evicting 50% of the Palestinian people from their homes, creating hundreds of thousands of refugees in their own land. The Oslo accord in 1994 worsened the economic climate in Palestine, forced Palestinians to leave their land and sell their labor cheaply elsewhere� ��"thus establishing further obstacles to Palestinian autonomy.

Nathaniel asked how the occupation affects worker organizing in Palestine. The Israeli government passed a law forbidding union organizing in the Palestinian territories. Under the occupation, in the 70s and 80s, in union organizers in Palestine began putting pressure on the labor movement to organize workers. They managed to organize a new first strike in a hotel, then a few years later in another hotel and restaurants. In 1987 they began targeting villages. From 1982 to 1985 most union leaders had been arrested, and union documents were destroyed by IDF raids. Nonetheless, Palestinian union activists continued to organize while in prison. To this the Israeli government responded with military resolution 825, stating that trade union organizers must not have � ��"criminal records,� �� but the union organizers did not obey.

A representative commented that � ��"all is connected; the seizure of land, attacks on workers and farmers who made any signs of protest, the harassment of women, and the denial of Palestinian authority. This meant that Palestinians could not stop the oppression through legal means.� ��

The most extreme example of the weakened state of the Palestinian economy can be seen in Gaza, where virtually no market exists for Palestinian products. In an area famous for its cut flowers, half of the flower crop has to be burned because of the blockade, denying imports into and exports out of Gaza other than those goods sent from the Israeli government.

A representative raised the issue of the boycott, and stressed that it is against the occupation which denies Palestinians social services, yet forces them to pay even more taxes than Israelis who benefit from government programs.

As an aside, it was noted the Israeli baby formula company that is permitted by Israel to sell in Palestine has two lines of formula, one for Israel and one for Palestine, leading to the suspicion that there is something inferior about the version for Palestine.

Last week there 300 Palestinian houses were demolished. On the Mount of Olives where Israel has established settlements, the settlements' territorial plan form the Star of David.

Another interested anecdote� ��"in order to create the perception that Jews have been in East Jerusalem for 100 years, Israel recently transplanted palm trees from Iraq to the street in front of the Damascus Gate (we noticed these palms during our stay and they seemed out of place because Jerusalem is does not offer the conditions for growing them).

The people we interviewed stressed that � ��"Jerusalem is the key regarding war and peace.� �� One emphasized � ��"we are not terrorists, we are people. If we are denied our dignity we will never have peace.� �� Another PGFTU member urged us to raise our voices to Obama that there are 700 checkpoints, and that more than 300 women have had to give birth at checkpoints on their way to the hospital, and that tens of women have died. � ��"We accept hell, but hell doesn't accept us.� ��

Following the meeting we made our way to the ministry of education where a strike was being held by national university employees who demanded better retirement benefits. After the Minister of Labor spoke, Kate Zaidan made a statement of solidarity to the crowd, and was later interviewed by various international news agencies. Hundered of workers and supporters were present, and the event was patrolled by a contingent of Palestinian security officers with AK-47s.

Next we took a taxi to the Democracy and Workers' Rights Center (DWRC), which was established by lawyers, professors and trade unionists in 1993. We met with members of the DWRC's legal aid and human rights' center. This NGO is committed to educating workers about their rights, establishing the freedom of association and the right to organize, ensuring occupational health and safety, training and education (such as the development of job skills and political consciousness), researching and studying the benefit and salary disparities between male and female workers, the publishing of statistics regarding workers' conditions, and eliminating poverty and unemployment through the creation of skilled job opportunities for men and women equally.

The DWRC representatives in informal discussion raised the problems of organizing the informal sector of the economy (which includes a large number of women), which offers no social security, insurance, services, or pensions. It was noted that women represent 16% of the total work force in Palestine, but the majority of the remaining 84% work in small family businesses, agriculture, and other services for which they are unpaid. And thus their work is unvalorized. 40% of women are below the poverty line and none have access to certain jobs such as construction and transportation.

One of the DWRC members then spoke about the situation of workers in Gaza, whom she has never met in the nine years they have been working together. She explained that there is virtually no private sector in Gaza, destroyed first by the blockade and then by the 2008-2009 military assault, during which the Israeli military deliberately demolished factories and building equipment. One of the few jobs that remains in Gaza is the dangerous job of working in the tunnels to Egypt, the only access to outside goods. Many workers have been killed in the tunnels by Israeli bombs. What can be done to get food to the people of Gaza? She suggested opening doors to small businesses, raising awareness of the crisis, and struggling for unemployment benefits. However, unfortunately the Palestinian populations in Gaza and the West Bank are growing further and further apart due to Gaza's isolation.

It was stressed that the boycott of Israeli goods, which has called for by Palestinian workers cannot hurt workers (Israeli and Palestinian alike) any more than the military occupation does. The costs of maintaining a militarized society include restricted access to regional markets, and Israel's use of cheap imported labor from Southeast Asia not only harms the Palestinian workers who are being excluded from such jobs, but drastically hurts the migrant workers who are treated despicably (who have no rights, whose papers are held with the threat of deportation, and who are thrown out of the country when no one wants to employ them).

Nathaniel asked if the Palestinian ruling class compromises the rights of Palestinian workers for the sake of personal gain. In response it was noted that Palestine is a colonized economy, and though workers' rights are often compromised when deals are made with Israel, one must look at it in the context of colonization and capitalistic greed. Occupation must be ended, benefitting both Palestine and Israel, opening it up to markets in Arab countries.

Following the meeting with the DWRC, we travelled 30km to Arura, our host Muhammad Aruri's hometown (at an elevation of 950m). On our way we passed a fenced-in settlement (lit 24 hours by US tax dollars), and a checkpoint that has been temporarily abandoned to benefit Abbas's political image. First, Muhammad took us to the highest point in the West Bank, from which we could see Tel Aviv, the Dead Sea, Nablus, and Ramallah. From here we saw the biggest settlement in the area which houses a branch of Haifa Univeristy, as well as a grazing heard of goats.

We were hosted for dinner at his brother's home beautifully landscaped with Guava, Pomegranate, Olive, Clementine, and Jacaranda trees. While the sun set, we enjoyed a delicious meal prepared by Muhammad's sister-in-law and nieces.

After dinner, Muhammad took us to visit a local school where we met with the Arura charitable society, and organization that offers various services to residents of Arura and surrounding villages. Next we visited a recently built medical clinic (that Muhammad helped fund) which offers nearly-free emergency services to those that do not have the time to make it to the nearest hospital, 40 minutes away.

Exhausted we returned to Ramallah to rest up for another day.

our 1st day in Ramallah

Today we took the bus in to Ramallah, passing the Qalandia checkpoint with no problem, though we did see one or two cars full of people being inspected by the IDF. We also got our first glimpse of the infamous Apartheid Wall. Rob said it best: It's kind of like a checkpoint on I-95, except staffed by children with M16s. They are not exactly children, but the IDF soldiers all look very, very young.

We were welcomed into the Federation of Independent Unions of Palestine office by Mohammed Aruri and his colleague Ghareeb formerly a worker at a pharmaceutical factory, now a volunteer of the union. At this small meeting, delegation members learned a bit about the Federation of Independent Palestinian Unions, which, as it turns out, is incredibly similar in mission and structure to the IWW.

The Federation organizes within a wide spectrum of unions, from finance to agricultural to medical manufacturing to university employees to certain parts of the public sector, like village councils. Unemployment is rampant, with up to 50% (and much higher in Gaza) of workers unemployed, and the Federation organizes and provides services to workers without jobs. The Federation provides services to 2000 unemployed workers in the form food, medicine, money and free insurance. Most of the money donated to the by the Palestinian Authority goes to paying government employees and to security measures demanded by the Israeli government, and there is little left for unemployment compensation, so it is left to unions to fill the gap. Notably, 50% of Palestinians also live below the poverty line. Mohammed states that the occupation is the main cause for their suffering.

The Federation organizes all over the West Bank, and does some work within Gaza. They do not have members in Jerusalem, where workers tend to organize by local shops and not into federations. Aruri suspects that this has something to do with the difficulty in getting across checkpoints, but there may be other political reasons as well. The Federation is the Palestinian version of � ��"One Big Union� �� , as they work tirelessly to build solidarity in the the West Bank, Gaza and Israel, and all over the world. If there were a theme to our discussions today it would be � ��"unity in struggle� �� .

Coming into Ramallah, we noticed an abundance of new and half-built construction, and we asked Aruri why it was that Ramallah was being built up so quickly. He said it was because 50% of Palestinians are outside of the country, with many in the US from New York to San Francisco, from Alaska to Florida. Presumably, this new construction was an outgrowth of the real estate boom evident in the US, and the Palestinian economy has been hit equally hard.

The union was started in reaction to the larger, business unions representing most Palestinian workers, with a structure that reflects a commitment to democratic unionism. The executive committee is comprised of workers who are elected by the members directly. The local leaders must be workers in the industries they represented.

The conversation turned to the Boycott Israel movement of which the Federation plays an active role. The boycott movement, called by Palestinian workers and civil society groups, seeks to put non-violent pressure on the Israeli government to abide by standards of human rights and international law. Mohammed said that most Palestinians are in favor of the boycott, as it will increase job opportunities, as it will increase opportunities in Palestinian factories, as it will decrease reliance on Israeli goods. Aruri asked that more pressure be placed on Obama, and noted this era as one of much opportunity, given Obama's promises made in the Cairo speech. The delegation spoke of our efforts to publicize this meeting and build support for the boycott movement in the US labor movement.

The United States gives 3 billion in aid to the Israeli government largely to the military. Aruri said that this money could be given to workers in the United States to help resolve the economic crisis workers are facing. Aruri said our job is to advocate for US workers as much as it is for others internationally.

Aruri came to the US in 2004 and met with many rank and file union members, as well as peace groups etc. He also met with leaders of the AFL-CIO (in their swanky DC office that Aruri said was nicer than the State Department, where he also visited) who basically accused him of being left-wing and wrote him off. Aruri said the AFL � ��"looks with one eye instead of two� �� . It should noted that the AFL, as well as the Democratic Party signed agreements with Histradut, the main Israeli union closely aligned with the Israeli state. One interesting anecdote that illustrates the nature of Histradut: the former president of the union went on to serve as the defense minister for the Israeli government and led the country into the war in Lebanon.

It has become clear throughout our discussions that the occupation Palestinian directly impairs worker organizing in Palestinian. It has caused factories to close and has stopped producers from shipping goods to Arab countries. Aruri noted that the union's position on the wall is not against the Jewish people, and not even against the wall entirely: he states that the wall could be built on the 67 border, and not annex Palestinian land. He said that Palestinian don't need aid, that they have the resources to develop themselves. They could have a thriving tourism industry and grow plenty of fruits and vegetables. What they need is freedom.

A direct legacy of colonial Britain are the laws of administrative detention. Anyone can be arrested because they � ��"might� �� do something that threatens the security of the colonial regime. Israel has inherited these laws and now, being a member of a union is cause enough for arrest and torture and has been used frequently on union activists, as Mohammed has been arrested 6 times and tortured in prison. These arrests usually occur at night and in front of everyone, but because they are fighting for freedom, they learn to not be afraid. Mohammed talked about being released from prison and heading straight back to the office to organize more workers.

On the political situation in Palestinian, Aruri discussed the Hamas election as a vote against the corruption within the PA. This was not a vote for an Islamic republic, as many Christians voted for the party. Most labor unions support the PLO strategy, with few supporting Hamas. Most people in the Federation are independent and not associated with a political party, and the Federation is not associated with any political party (like the IWW), whereas the PGFTU has close ties to the Fatah party.

After our first meeting, we explored Ramallah, wandering into the teeming and lively fruit market and sampling the famous Rakab ice cream.

We returned to the Federation office, where we met with 9 representatives from member unions, where we presented them with $1000 that the delegation fundraised with the help of supporters, as well as IWW t shirts, calendars and buttons, all of which were warmly received.

We discussed with them their current campaigns, such as a campaign for improved pensions, as the state does not provide any social security, and the private sector is not required to match employee contributions.

They talked about the three greatest enemy's of Palestine � ��"occupation, corruption, and poverty� �� , which have been worsened by globalization. This led to a discussion about the IWWs international solidarity work in Haiti and Mexico. We spoke about our unions' history and philosophy and found that our vision and mission are extremely similar to each other. One of the representatives joked � ��"why don't we open an IWW office in Palestine, to which we replied, it sounds like there already is one� �� .

Women's status in the Palestinian labor movement is strikingly parallel to that in the US, where women make 75% to what men make, and struggle to get promoted. The Federation, like the IWW historically, has stood in solidarity with women, and fought for for women's rights and human rights. The work of women has traditionally been unpaid or underpaid, much like the rest of the world. But, women are strongly represented within the federations executive committee.

The union mentioned 3 specific things solidarity workers could do: they need help fundraising for a staff position to address women's issues, help organize a visit of members of the Federation to the United States, and connect members to other organizations, unions, women's organizations, and others.

We returned to our hotel for a brief rest, and were then treated to a delicious supper at the home of Ghareeb, one of the members of the Federation. There, over arab-style macaroni and cheese, we talked politics, movies, and played with the kids. A pretty great end to the day.