In December 2023, our union, UAW, became the first major US union to publicly support a ceasefire and arms embargo in Palestine. But since then, UAW’s actions supporting a ceasefire and arms embargo do not match its words.

UAW sends our dues money to Israel by investing between $400,000 to $1 million in Israel Bonds. This means every paycheck we earn is used to murder and displace people in Palestine and Lebanon – nearly half of whom are children.

An elected body of UAW leaders called the “International Executive Board” (IEB) periodically meets to discuss how the union will spend member dues. The IEB can choose at any time to withdraw UAW’s investments in Israel Bonds and invest that money in another, more profitable fund.

UAW Labor for Palestine calls on the UAW International Executive Board to divest immediately and completely from $400,000 or more in Israel Bonds, which are used to support Israel’s genocidal war crimes, illegal settlement expansion, and settler colonial project, and also commit to no future Israel Bond purchases.

If the IEB votes to divest our dues from Israel Bonds, UAW will become the first major US institution to stop funding Israeli genocide. In issuing this call, we look to the groundbreaking history of UAW rank-and-file Palestine solidarity, including statements issued by the League of Revolutionary Black Workers in 1969 and wildcat strikes against the UAW leadership’s support for Israel in 1973. Today, UAW 2325 has similarly persevered in support of Palestine, despite Zionist lawfare and a congressional subpoena. Rather than cave to the pressure, UAW 2325 resisted the subpoena and defended the union’s democratic right to oppose the genocide that has already murdered at least 186,000 people in Gaza. Critically, the local also doubled down on its pro-Palestine organizing, weaving this solidarity into a recent contract victory at the Bronx Defenders. UAW 2325 offers a powerful example of how members’ refusal to comply with Zionist pressure to back away from Palestine solidarity actually strengthens workers’ bargaining position across a range of issues.

This is an appeal to workers everywhere to advance Palestine solidarity efforts in our unions and across the labor movement and the whole working class. Now is the time to defend our unions by deepening our solidarity, not recoiling in fear. UAW leadership must therefore immediately and fully divest from Israel Bonds.

We invite you, UAW members and locals, to sign onto this open letter and continue organizing in support of a free Palestine from the river to the sea!

Until Liberation and Return,
UAW Rank and File