SPEAKING TOUR – PALESTINIAN TRADE UNION COALITION FOR BDS

Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto-Windsor-Hamilton-London-Regina-Vancouver

A speaking tour featuring Amjad Barham of PFUUPE, Palestine and representative for the newly formed Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS – PTUC-BDS and Norman Otis Richmond, Co-founder of the Biko-Malcolm-Rodney Coalition in Toronto in the 1980s and 1990s which worked on the cultural boycott of South African Apartheid.

TORONTO Event
Saturday May 21^st, 2011
6:30 -9:30 PM
Beit Zatoun
612 Markham St. (Bathurst Subway)
*Accessible entrance – not bathrooms

This speaking tour will be an important opportunity for debate and discussion on the question of how we as trade unionists can stand in solidarity with Palestinians. As labour activists, union representatives or grassroots union members, we will be discussing a number of key issues such as,

* Why are trade unionists globally comparing the situation in Palestine with that of South African apartheid?

* What is the situation of Palestinian workers today?

* Why has there been a call by Palestinian trade unions for a campaign of Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) modeled on the solidarity movement against South African apartheid?

There is a great urgency in building our solidarity with Palestinian workers. It is important to note that Palestinian trade unions continue to operate in and confront a daily reality of military occupation, apartheid walls and neoliberal austerity.

In Gaza, 98% of industrial operations remain idle as a result of Israel’s three-year blockade, which includes severe restrictions on electricity, heating oil, natural gas and construction materials. In the occupied West Bank, 25% of the population continues to face food insecurity as well as a complex network of 400-500 military checkpoints, roadblocks, fences, and other obstacles that separate Palestinian workers from their workplaces.

The “Building Solidarity from Palestine to South Africa” speaking tour is an important step in consolidating the worker-to-worker solidarity already established between Palestinian and Canadian and Québécois trade unionists.

Speakers

Dr. Amjad Barham
The head of the Palestine Polytechnic University employees union and the President of the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Employees and Professors (PFUUPE). The Federation represents unions at all Palestinian universities in the West Bank and Gaza. Dr. Barham is a professor in applied mathematics.

PFUUPE is member of the Palestinian Trade Union Coalition for BDS PTUC-BDS, which includes almost the entirety of the blocks composing the Palestinian trade union movement, and is based on the Palestinian civil society call for BDS launched in 2005, as well as the standards adopted by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC).

Norman Otis Richmond
Radio-producer, host for Saturday Morning Live and Diasporic Music (88.1 FM CKLN Radio). Co-founder of the Black Music Association (Toronto Chapter). Co-founder of the Biko-Malcolm-Rodney Coalition in Toronto in the 1980s and 1990s which worked on the cultural boycott of South African Apartheid. They demonstrated against artists who visited and performed in South Africa and gave “awards” to those who turned down lucrative offers to perform in South Africa such as Roberta Flack, Third World, Mighty Sparrow, Sweet Honey in the Rock, Dan Hill and “For the Moment” (female vocal group from Nova Scotia). He was also in the League of Revolutionary Black Workers (Detroit, U.S.) and African Peoples’ Party (US).

To Sponsor, donate or participate in the tour 
please contact: satopalestine@yahoo.com

Sponsors & endorsers of the tour & local events include:
Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW-STTP)
, Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) – Ontario Division
, CUPE Local 15
, CUPE Local 2491, 
CUPE Local 3903, TCUPE Local 3906, Hamilton Political Action Committee
, CUPE Ontario International Solidarity Committee
, CUPE Toronto District Council
, Fédération nationale des enseignants et enseignantes du Québec (FNEEQ)
, FTQ Regional Conseil Montreal
, London & District Labour Council
, Metropolitan Montréal Central Council, Confédération des syndicats nationaux
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) Local 568, 
Teaching Support Staff Union, Social Justice Committee, Simon Fraser University
, Toronto Secondary Unit Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association Human Rights’ Committee
, Vancouver & District Labour Council, CUPE Metro Vancouver District Council, College and University Workers United, Boycott Israeli Apartheid Campaign – Vancouver
, Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, 
Faculty for Palestine
, Independent Jewish Voices
, London Solidarity Coalition for Palestine, 
Not in Our Name: Jewish Voices Opposing Zionism
, Students Against Israeli Apartheid
, Tadamon! Montreal
, The Canada-Palestine Support Network (CanPalNet), Canadian Arab Federation, Hamilton Coalition to Stop the War, CKUT 90.3FM, Canada Palestine Foundation Quebec, Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights-Mcgill/Concordia, QPIRG McGill

For more information, please click here.

The Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid is proud to endorse the Palestinian Youth Network’s May 15th ‘Rally to Support the People of Palestine’ in Toronto. May 15th marks Nakba Day – the commemoration of the 1948 Naka (Arabic for catastrophe), the ethnic cleansing of Palestine that saw over 750,000 Palestinians expelled from their homes as the Israeli State was founded on the ruins of Palestine.

Today, the ethnic cleansing continues with the on-going siege of Gaza, settlements and the Apartheid Wall in the West Bank, and Israel’s numerous apartheid policies that ensure the continued systemic discrimination of Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli carries out its brutality with the full support of the Canadian government – support that will only grow stronger under Harper’s majority regime. We must continue our struggle here to end Canadian complicity in Israeli apartheid.

On this 43rd anniversary of the Nakba, CAIA stands in solidarity with the Palestinian people who continue their struggle against Israeli apartheid. We join thousands of people of conscience  around the world who will be holding marches and rallies on Nakba Day to condemn Israeli apartheid and to defend the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homeland. Join us for this very important rally and show your solidarity!

Date: Sunday, May 15th, 2011
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Where: In front of the Israeli Council ( 180 Bloor St West, Toronto )

March 26, 2011
As part of the 2011 Global BDS Day of Action, the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid, held a march and rally in Toronto. CAIA was joined by allied groups including anti-poverty activists, environmental justice groups and migrant justice organizers. The march targeted the centre of the Canadian economy and the heart of Canadian complicity in Israeli apartheid – Toronto’s financial district. Over 100 people marched under the banner Divest Now! The march highlighted local divestment campaigns being organized by Teachers for Palestine and Students Against Israeli Apartheid at the University of Toronto and York University.

The day was filled with energetic chants, passionate speeches and a memorial for the martyrs killed on Land Day and all our fallen comrades. The march was centred around creative BDS actions including dancing, posting a huge “Divest from Israeli Apartheid” banner on the Toronto Stock Exchange and the presentation of a plaque in honour of the 35th anniversary of Palestinian Land Day. The event ended at Mountain Equipment Coop (MEC) where activists filled the ‘comments and suggestions’ box with dozens of cards telling MEC to drop Israeli products now!

For more information on the Day of Action please see our leaflet