This motion was passed at a GUCU Branch meeting on 02/02/2024
Goldsmiths UCU branch notes that:
- Israel is continuing its genocide of Palestinians in Gaza despite a global mass mobilisation in solidarity with Palestine calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the siege on Gaza, and lifting the air, land, and sea blockade.
- On top of providing unconditional economic, political, military and ideological support for Israel, the US and the UK have now become active players in this war by starting a bombing campaign against Yemen rather than stopping the genocide in Gaza.
- Three-quarters of all Britons call for a ceasefire, but Rishi Sunak’s Conservative and Keir Starmer’s Labour parties back Israel’s genocide, settler destruction and ethnic cleansing in Gaza.
- UCU Congress motions 8 and 9 (2023) supporting BDS and protests against Israeli oppression of Palestinians and motion 13 (2021) against the IHRA anti-Semitism ‘working definition’.
- UCU nationally supports the 7 February day of action called for by the Stop the War Coalition and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, and calls on every branch to arrange a protest at their workplace on that day, and to ask student and other campus unions to participate.
- that the ICJ has found that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza.
This branch believes that:
- Building union and inter-union grassroots solidarity networks is key to mobilising for an immediate ceasefire, an end to the siege on Gaza and lifting the air, land, and sea blockade, an end to the occupation in Palestine, and to stop the attacks on Yemen and a possible regional war.
- Building union and inter-union grassroots solidarity networks is also key to giving solidarity to our colleagues and students who are facing this violence and the destruction of the education sector in Gaza and political repression across historical Palestine, as well as the future of education everywhere.
This branch resolves to:
- Endorse the University & College Workers for Palestine network by making a donation of £250 towards banners, leaflets and placards, to advertise the network among the branch membership and to encourage members to join.
- Mobilise members for the national demonstration on Saturday 3 February in solidarity with Palestine, bring the Goldsmiths banner to the demonstration and encourage members to join the Goldsmiths delegation.
- Support students’ right to walk out, protest and demonstrate, and call on members to act in solidarity with them by signing on as the branch to their February 7th Letter To Management with a list of demands and a call for response within 10 days.
- Take part in the national day of workplace action #StandWithGaza on Wednesday 7 February by organising a walk-out and protest along with students and other campus unions where possible. This includes organising a staff/student assembly in advance of the day of action and communicating the action to all members.