The conference, on 20-24 May, of the train drivers' union Aslef voted to back the Palestinian-Jewish social and anti-war movement Standing Together.
The union will "invite a speaker from Standing Together to address a future conference... seek to amplify other socialist, working-class and labour-movement voices in Israel/Palestine promoting a politics of equal rights and coexistence".
The decision came after some debate. Palestine Solidarity Campaign director Ben Jamal had got much applause as an invited speaker at the conference, and when asked about Standing Together he advised the union not to "engage with" it because (he claimed) it advocates coexistence without addressing the root issues. (In fact, Standing Together campaigns for equal rights, including to self-determination.) He referred to the call from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel to shun Standing Together.
The move to back Standing Together was at first "noted" (as per standard Aslef conference procedure for doubtful proposals) then, after debate, "adopted" into a motion which the conference passed without demur.
Another big political debate at the conference was about the Labour Party. The majority of the Executive wants Aslef to disaffiliate from the Labour Party. The lead speaker for that view was Andy Hudd, Aslef vice-president and deputy leader of George Galloway's "Workers' Party". Others backing it include people previously active in Labour but who left following the removal of the whip from Jeremy Corbyn. General secretary Mick Whelan spoke in favour of continued affiliation.
After debate, the delegates voted 74 in favour and 6 against (with 5 abstentions) for a motion to reject a proposed rule change that would disaffiliate the union from Labour. We previously voted by a similar margin in favour of a motion dealing with other agenda items on the Labour Party, including rejection of an item instructing the Executive to conduct a referendum of members on whether or not to remain affiliated.
The union's ultra-long-running on-off dispute with the Train Operating Companies over 2022-3 pay rumbles on in the background, but there was no decisive debate on it.
This union condemns both the 7th October attacks by Hamas on Israel, and the Israeli's state's grossly disproportionate response.
This union believes that though the Palestinian people has the right to resist occupation, this does not justify the targeting of civilians to be murdered or taken as hostages.
Similarly, although this union believes that though Israel has the right to defend its civilian population from terrorist attack, this does not justify the continued occupation and subjugation of the Palestinian people, or the indiscriminate targeting of civilian areas for military action.
This union believes that neither Hamas nor the far-right Netanyahu government have anything to offer Palestinians or Israelis in terms of lasting peace or a just settlement to conflict in Israel-Palestine.
This union believes Palestinians and Israelis both have a right to security and life. This union believes the conflict can only have a just resolution through a framework based on equal rights for both peoples, including an equal right to self-determination: a genuinely independent Palestinian state, in contiguous territory, alongside and with equal rights to Israel.
This union will support those voices on both sides who have shown tremendous courage in promoting peace and dialogue and a just settlement and a democratic solution, such as Standing Together, a joint Palestinian-Israeli social movement, which is organising anti-racist, anti-war, and solidarity activity within Israeli society.
This union opposes the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia in the UK and worldwide. This union will work with the wider anti-racist and trade union and labour movement to campaign for peace and a just settlement to the conflict.
Therefore, this 2004 AAD instructs the Executive:
• To invite a speaker from Standing Together to address a future conference
• To seek to amplify other socialist, working-class and labour-movement voices in Israel/Palestine, promoting a politics of equal rights and coexistence.