Successful Israel trade union event held at TUC annual conference
Peter Lerner, director general of international at Histadrut, took part in fringe event at TUC conference, chaired by Barnet Labour councillor and Community Union official Liron Velleman, alongside Doreen Gerson, vice-chair of Britain Israel Trade Union Dialogue (BITUD),
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The Israeli trade union organisation the Histadrut have been involved in a successful event staged at this year’s annual Trade Union Conference in Liverpool.
At a well-attended fringe event on Monday, Peter Lerner, director general of international at Histadrut, took part in an in-conversation event chaired by Barnet Labour councillor and Community Union official Liron Velleman, alongside Doreen Gerson, vice-chair of Britain Israel Trade Union Dialogue (BITUD), that featured lively discussion about the current crisis in Israeli democracy.
Delegates attending the meeting, were told of the Israeli union’s role in negotiations on averting civil breakdown and coming to a compromise position, and the calling of a general strike that resulted in Benjamin Nentanyhu seeking consultations.
It was also explained how the Histadrut have been left in a difficult position as the judicial overhaul continues, with some in the far-right Israeli coalition government wishing to ban the right to strike.
Vellemen later said:”It was an hour to chair yesterday’s fringe with Peter Lerner on behalf of the Community Union.
“The attendance showed the interest from British trade unionists in the Histadrut and I’m sure everyone learned a lot from Peter on the current situation in Israel and a case study on a growing trade union membership.”
Great to be here at #TUC23 with @_BITUD and @vellstells getting ready for the fringe event on the crisis in #Israel’s democracy and how @histadruthadash is the ONLY responsible adult in the system ????????✊???? pic.twitter.com/YrOhmAIJMb
— Lt. Col. (R) Peter Lerner (@LTCPeterLerner) September 11, 2023
During the event there was lots of discussion on pay deals, including the 19 per cent increase for Israel’s public sector workers.
And there was further explanation on the role Histadrut, or the General Organisation of Workers in Israel, as they were originally named, is the country’s national trade union centre and represents the majority of trade unionists.
Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign , was among those to ask questions at the end, having complained about the presence of BITUD at the TUC conference.
A leaflet distributed by the Jewish Voice For Labour group (JVL) also attempted to suggest the Histadrut were “complicit” in the exploitation of Palestinian workers.
It is understood lawyers acting for the Israeli union have been informed about the content of the leaflet “to look at the serious allegations with the possibility of action against these claims by JVL.”
Luke Akehurst, director of We Believe In Israel, later told Jewish News:”It is fantastic that Histadrut had a presence at the TUC conference engaging with their sister unions.
“Peter Lerner is an excellent spokesperson for the Israeli trade union movement. I’m sure he will have given TUC delegates plenty to think about, as well as some inspiration about the relative power and industrial radicalism of Histadrut.
“Bringing Peter to TUC also shows the consistent excellent work BITUD does in a very difficult political environment.”
While some trade unions continue to hold hard-line anti-Israel stances, there has been genuine progress in recent years in some organisations, including the TUC, GMB, Community, and more recently within the Unite union, on allowing genuine debate about the Israel/Palestine issue while tackling members who stray into antisemitism.
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