Although Israel only procures 1% of its weaponry from the UK, we believe that a full arms embargo should be implemented to add pressure for a ceasefire and until Israel is compliant with internation and humanitarian law. In autumn 2024, the UK Government suspended 30 out of 300 arms licences to Israel, indicating that it understands the relevance of action in this area. Now it must go further and cancel all such contracts.
The question of arms manufacture has at times been difficult within our movement. The UK’s defence spending 2.5% of GDP and domestic production creates generally well-paid and unionised jobs. The STUC supports policies to contribute to a world where there is less conflict and less need for weaponry. However, we do not campaign against the defence industry per se.
Unions, union branches, trades councils and local members can use this resource to write to their MP calling on them to pledge to vote to end the arms trade with Israel. The page provides the opportunity to feed back to the STUC on any responses received.
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Arms Trade Campaigning and Pressure: dos and don’ts For many campaigners, the activities of complicit companies are part of wider issues such as the general nature of the arms trade or the threat of global warming. Whilst these are entirely legitimate issues and ones which are of concern to unions, we should avoid rolling specific targeted campaigns into wider issues. The sole purpose of BDS is to isolate Israel and bring pressure to bear. Equally, the commercial decisions of companies including those who are complicit in illegal occupation and support for the Israeli Government are not made by workers. There have been some inspiring examples of workers internationally refusing to undertake specific tasks in support of BDS and however these are not the norm. Placing undue expectations and particularly unfair pressure on workers, rather than bosses is both ineffective and potentially counter-productive. Unions and the STUC will provide all support to workers who wish to take such actions however we cannot dictate to them that they should. Equally, while protest directed at complicit companies is entirely legitimate, targeting workers is not. |
