"As Israel's genocide in Gaza intensified in late 2023, a small number of U.S. labor unions began calling for a ceasefire. Others soon joined in, and many also started calling for a halt of military support to Israel. For many union members, statements didn't go far enough, so they formed new national networks or pushed their unions to divest from Israel. Some even went on strike."
"The notion that Palestine shouldn't concern unions is an odd one, says Schuhrke, because it's always been a labor issue. U.S. unions, particularly top labor leaders, have just been on the wrong side. Schuhrke's sweeping and accessible book offers a detailed history of U.S. labor's century-long alliance with the Zionist movement and the State of Israel, examining the forces and developments that built and sustained that alliance as well as those that opposed it."
Late 2023 escalation in Gaza prompted a few U.S. labor unions to call for a ceasefire; others joined and many urged halting military support to Israel. Dissatisfied members formed national networks, pushed unions to divest from Israel, and staged strikes. Pro-Palestine organizing has historical roots within U.S. unions, but recent breadth of criticism signals a possible shift away from longstanding labor support for Zionism and the State of Israel. A detailed history traces a century-long alliance between U.S. labor and the Zionist movement, examining forces that built, sustained, and opposed that alliance. Organizers can use this history to build anti-militarist labor politics.
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