At the Local 1000 membership meeting on February 22 this year, the membership was asked to consider two resolutions: “A Resolution for a Ceasefire in Gaza” proposed by Deborah Van Kleef and a follow-up proposal by John O’Connor. The text of both resolutions are included below. Both resolutions were passed by a majority of the meeting attendees.
Resolution for a Ceasefire in Gaza
We, the members of American Federation of Musicians Local 1000, mourn the loss of life in Israel and Gaza, the displacement of over a million Palestinians and the destruction of homes, schools and hospitals within the territory. We join over 200 local unions and the AFL-CIO in calling for an immediate ceasefire, and an end to the siege of Gaza
We further resolve:
The Israeli hostages taken by Hamas must be immediately released, as must civilians, medical personnel and humanitarian aid workers taken prisoner by Israeli military forces. Both Hamas and Israel must adhere to standards of international law and Geneva Convention rules of warfare concerning the welfare and security of civilians.
To bring an end to the suffering in Gaza, power must be restored, and water, fuel, food, medical supplies and other humanitarian aid must flow freely into the territory. Palestinians and foreign nationals requiring medical care must be allowed to leave.
The United States must act. President Biden must immediately call for a ceasefire. Military aid to Israel must be stopped.
Finally, we deplore all hate crimes including those against Palestinian and other Arab Americans, Muslims and Jews.
Follow-up Resolution
Resolved that the Local 1000 Executive Board be empowered on behalf of the union to take further actions as it sees fit to support efforts of the National Labor Network for Ceasefire and to sign on to any further petitions and actions that the Network supports or advises. Further, the Local 1000 Executive Board be empowered on behalf of the union to take action and make statements as it sees fit compatible with the advancement of the International Court of Justices’ orders to the state of Israel to “cease forthwith any acts and measures in breach of [the obligations of the Genocide Convention], including such acts or measures which would be capable of killing or continuing to kill Palestinians, or causing or continuing to cause serious bodily or mental harm to Palestinians or deliberately inflicting on their group, or continuing to inflict on their group, conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part…”
