UNITE HERE, the parent of Yale’s politically powerful union locals, issued a statement Thursdsay calling on all hostages to be released and all fighting to stop in Gaza.
The progressive union’s leaders had come under fire in recent months from some grassroots members, including in New Haven, to follow some other unions’ lead in taking a stand on the conflict. In New Haven that has included pressure on alders affiliated with UNITE HERE to support a proposed nonbinding resolution calling for a ceasefire; the statement released Thursday adds mention of ostages taken in the conflict.
Following is the text of the national UNITE HERE statement:
The majority of UNITE HERE’s 250,000 members are women and people of color who work in the hospitality industry in the US and Canada. Many of us are immigrants who came here because of conflict and violence in our homelands. We believe that unity and solidarity can enable people of all backgrounds to achieve greater equality and opportunity.
We have resolved to address the war in a way that builds solidarity within our union. We have launched a process of deep engagement that includes a representative group of our diverse members and leaders. As a union, we have built strong shop floor unions across many differences by breaking down barriers through building relationships. We see this as necessary to responsibly engage on the crisis and its root causes and to be part of a movement towards a lasting peace.
UNITE HERE is calling for immediate release of hostages taken by Hamas and immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Gaza is a complicated issue with areas where both sides could have done better. However, if UNITE HERE, takes a side, I am quite confident that the best position on the issue is the exact opposite of theirs.