There are many ways to support the new national day of action for Palestine. A Counterfire NEU activist explains its importance and strategies for organising

On 10 October, the Stop the War Coalition has called for a national day of workplace action for Palestine. It is the fifth such action since the start of the assault on Gaza, and it couldn’t come at a more critical or opportune moment. Israel is driving at alarming speed towards all-out war in the Middle East, and the anti-war movement needs to strengthen its hand against the enablers in Westminster.

Work stoppages can play an important role in weakening the capacity of imperialist powers to carry out atrocities around the world. As Fire Brigades Union officer Ricardo LaTorre recently said, ‘Any function that goes towards the facilitation of the war machine almost certainly will be turned on somewhere by a worker, turned off somewhere by a worker, made by a worker, cleaned by a worker, delivered by a worker. There are no limits to what we could achieve when we organise collectively in disrupting that machine.’  

Due to various weaknesses within the British trade union movement, we can’t expect major work stoppages on 10 October, least of all in the arms industry. However, we can use it as a stepping stone in building the kind of trade union movement that mobilises against imperialism and can one day, sooner rather than later, wield the kind of power LaTorre is talking about.

Pressure from pro-Palestine trade unionists has already swayed the Trades Union Congress to pass two historic anti-war motions at its national conference this month. They have called for a ban on all UK arms sales to Israel and war de-escalation in the Middle East and so, for the first time, the TUC is supporting the workplace day of action.

There is no one-size-fits-all for the action you can take at your workplace. More highly organised workplaces with a network of confident activists and a sympathetic management may be able to pull off a work stoppage, a teach-in or a ‘Wear Palestine badges’ day. Those who work in non-unionised workplaces, workplaces with a more disparate staff, or places where management are hostile to political action may have to take a different approach.

The Stop the War website has a range of ideas, from organising a fundraiser for a Gaza charity to sharing a photo on social media of colleagues holding a sign, to holding a rally before or after work or during the lunch break. In some areas where it is possible, local Stop the War or TUC branches are organising lunchtime rallies for multiple workplaces in town squares.

The 10 October day of action is all about forging a network of activists at work who can come together to take a stand. So the next time you need to stand together – for Palestine, for Lebanon, or against austerity or unfair workplace practice – you’ll know the people to go to. Fighting war and strengthening our unions go hand in hand. Raise it with your union branch, local rep or trusted colleague today and see what kind of action they think you can pull off.