{"id":1460616,"date":"2024-01-23T17:28:51","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T17:28:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/therealnews.com\/?p=306603"},"modified":"2024-01-23T17:28:51","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T17:28:51","slug":"seiu-becomes-largest-us-union-to-demand-gaza-cease-fire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2024\/01\/23\/seiu-becomes-largest-us-union-to-demand-gaza-cease-fire\/","title":{"rendered":"SEIU becomes largest US union to demand Gaza cease-fire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This story originally appeared in Common Dreams<\/a> on Jan. 22, 2024. It is shared here with permission under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) license.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

With over 25,000 Palestinians killed so far in the U.S.-backed Israeli assault of the Gaza Strip, the Service Employees International Union on Monday became the largest union in North America to join a growing coalition of labor groups calling for a cease-fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“SEIU’s almost 2 million members believe that wherever violence, fear, and hatred thrive, working people cannot,” said<\/a> Mary Kay Henry, the union’s president, in a statement. “We condemn antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, and hate in all its forms around the world. Our union includes many members and their families\u2014Palestinian and Israeli, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian\u2014who have been impacted by the recent violence.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“As a union family strongly committed to justice and democracy, we believe all people across the globe deserve to live safely and free of fear, with dignity and respect for their human rights, as well as access to food, water, shelter, medicine, and other necessities,” she continued. “SEIU members understand that working people often feel the impact of war most deeply and bear the brunt of its terrible consequences.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“We call for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of lifesaving food, water, medicine, and other resources to the people of Gaza.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The SEIU leader condemned the October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, as well as the Israeli military’s response, which has included “widespread attacks on innocent civilians, including the bombardment of neighborhoods, healthcare facilities, and refugee camps.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to killing and wounding tens of thousands of Palestinians, the war has displaced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, who are facing starvation and disease. Henry said that “we call for an immediate cease-fire, the release of all hostages, and the delivery of lifesaving food, water, medicine, and other resources to the people of Gaza.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Our call for a cease-fire is a call for peace, rooted in the pain that SEIU members are feeling, from the Jewish member concerned for her son’s safety in Tel Aviv, to the Muslim member who immigrated to this country from the Middle East to escape war and violence, to the hundreds of thousands of SEIU healthcare workers who see themselves in the healthcare workers in Gaza who have been killed trying to save lives,” said Henry, a U.S. labor leader whose union also represents Canadians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In October @SBWorkersUnited<\/a> faced backlash from the company for speaking out against the #GazaGeniocide<\/a>.

Today we are proud that our affiliate union, @SEIU<\/a>, has joined us in calling for a #CeasefireNOW<\/a>! \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8\ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8 https:\/\/t.co\/Gj5vl6UaQZ<\/a><\/p>— SBWU Greektown Chicago \ud83c\uddf5\ud83c\uddf8 (@GreektownUnited) January 22, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>