December 11, 2014
Mr. Dennis Williams
President
United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America
Dear President Williams,
We are writing to follow up on our letter of August 27, regarding a resolution considered by the UAW 2865, whose members are student workers from the nine University of California teaching campuses, supporting the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. UAW 2865 announced on December 10 that the resolution has passed.
As we stated in our earlier letter, the BDS campaign does nothing to advance the cause of peace or justice. Its advocates deepen divisions between Israelis and Palestinians and make the possibility of reconciliation less likely. It undermines and contradicts the spirit of solidarity that exists among the members of the labor movement in the United States and Israel.
The passage of this resolution will likely have no practical impact. The leadership of the University of California has stated time and again that it does not support divestment from Israel, and is opposed to the academic boycott of Israeli institutions.
At the same time, it is important for prominent leaders in the Labor movement to make clear the movement’s opposition to BDS initiatives.
We respectfully reiterate our call to you to publicly speak out against the BDS campaign against Israel. We note that in 2007, former UAW President Ron Gettelfinger signed a statement, along with 40 other labor leaders, condemning BDS.
We look forward to your early response.
Sincerely,
Abraham H. Foxman
National Director