April 11th 2005
WAC leadership hosts a
meeting with an official delegation from the
PGFTU-Gaza in
Nazareth, Friday April
8th 2005
The two sides
discussed future collaboration in defense of the rights of Palestinian
workers from Gaza in the Israeli Labor Market
A delegation of the
Palestinian General Federation of Trade Unions * in Gaza (PGFTU * Gaza)
was a guest of WAC * MAAN offices in Nazareth last Friday, April 8th. The
visit was aimed at discussing possible steps to defend the rights of
Palestinian workers from Gaza * especially on the eve of the Israeli
disengagement plan.
The meeting was attended
by a delegation of 3 leading trade unionists from Gaza led by Mr. Salame
Abu Zueitar - the head of the Department of Trade Union work. It also
included Mr. Fares al Akhras- Trade Union of Metal Workers, and Mr. Alias
al-Jalda from the General Workers Union. From WAC there were Mr. Assaf
Adiv * WAC's National Coordinator, Ms. Asma Agbarieh * Head of WAC's Legal
Department, and Mr. Malek Murad * a Field Coordinator for WAC's Northern
Region.
In the second part of the
day the Gazan worker delegation visited also WAC's office in Um al-Fahem,
where they met also Mr. Dani Ben Simhon * WAC's Coordinator in the Central
Region, and a group of Construction Workers, including WAC Group Leaders
Munir Ka'awar, Ibrahim Zahaqa, Nassim Athamneh and several activists of
Working Youth Union * WAC's branch of Youth work.
In the meetings WAC
presented its view on the situation of the working class in Israel
regarding the high percentage of unemployment and the government's attack
on all social benefits without the creation of jobs. WAC leaders explained
the special role played by WAC regarding the Arab
workers inside Israel, and
especially in the fields of Construction and Agriculture.
For its part, the
delegation of the PGFTU * Gaza presented the dramatic situation of
unemployment and poverty that the workers in Gaza are undergoing as a
result of the closure of the borders to Israel and also because Israeli
policy has closed the checkpoints between Israel and Gaza almost totally
for raw materials and finished products * a policy that has led to a total
collapse of Gaza's economy.
The two sides discussed
the reality of the Palestinian workers today and the possible outcome of
the Israeli Disengagement Plan. They emphasized the fact that for the time
being there is no viable alternative to jobs inside Israel, and that
therefore Palestinian workers should be allowed to enter Israel regardless
of the security situation, so that workers will not be punished every time
the military conflict erupts.
Other points of possible
collaboration between the two sides included the legal situation of
Palestinian workers in the Israeli labor market and the rights of
Palestinian workers who recently lost their jobs in the Settlements and in
the Erez Industrial Zone.
Both sides pledged to
start a public campaign to demand the opening of the borders for
Palestinian workers. They also decided to continue the collaboration and
exchange information in order to help bring the plight of Palestinian
workers to local, Israeli and world public opinion. Other and more
practical and legal aspects of collaboration will be discussed in
detail by both sides.
For more information,
please contact Assaf Adiv at HYPERLINK "mailto:asafadiv@netvision.net.il"asafadiv@netvision.net.il
or 972-57-7586198
See also WAC's site:
HYPERLINK "http://www.workersadvicecenter.org/"www.workersadvicecenter.org
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