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Agendize the Resolution on Divestment for a first reading Today!

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Agendize the Resolution on Divestment for a first reading Today!

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This resolution is a continuation of a process some of us on the Budget & Finance Committee (BFC) and EBoard started in 2011, when we looked at how could we safely invest our members’ money, AND invest it in ways that it grows in value and adds to the Local’s revenue stream, AND how do we invest in ways that reflect our values as a social justice workers’ organization.

Adopting social justice filters on investments was new terrain for unions and we started cautiously and incrementally. Succeeding BFCs and EBoards expanded and refined the filters we use for investing.

The package of proposals before you today are very much in line with the values and principles of Local 1021 and in line with building a world that is safe, healthy and better for all workers. Today’s addition of filters for weapons manufacturers, fossil fuels, private prison companies, immigrant detention companies, border patrol contractors and companies profiting from apartheid, and ethnic cleansing will probably make you ask, “Why didn’t we make these moves earlier.”

Today’s proposal is a good, next best step forward on putting our members’ money where our values are. Please vote to agendize a first reading of the Resolution on Divestment today.

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Another Jewish Voice for Peace - calling on our Executive Board of SEIU 1021 to support the divestment resolution. 🌱

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Support the Divestment Resolution.

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I’m a San Francisco City worker and 1021 Misc member, and I wholeheartedly support this resolution. Our union stands for workers, and now we must stand with our sibling workers in Gaza and throughout Palestine.

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I hope our local will take the lead in divesting from war. We already made the pledge to support Palestine in our resolution and now we have an opportunity to demonstrate we meant what we said.

Divestment is one of the most direct ways to support Palestine and also remove ourselves from continuing our complicity is this atrocious violence and genocide against Palestinians.

When the labor movement leads the way and stands on the side of justice, our power grows!

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SEIU 1021 should Divest from genocidal regimes!

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Stand up in solidarity with working people the world over, not war profiteers. We called for ceasefire, now let's put our money where our mouth is and divest from any company that profits from human misery. Stop the genocide!

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Working people have no business in the business of WAR! Not with our lives and not with our money!

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We want no part in the destruction of a country and genocide of a people. Please pass the resolution and join the global movement to disclose investments and divest from the death machine. Our union must take a stand. Free Palestine

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Martha Hawthorne, Climate Justice Committee 

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SEIU 1021 AHS chapter member and licensed social worker calling for divestment from imperialist, violent, inhumane, white supremacist, greed driven investments. It is a shame and a dishonor to our hard and dedicated work-to care for our local community’s most vulnerable and marginalized, to funnel our resources into bloody investments. It is maddening to be associated with and empowering war mongering bullies, whose tools seek to disempower our very own communities locally and globally in atrocious ways. These investments are a disgrace and our health system and those responsible should want better for our world and what we reflect in this world. We are centers that are supposed to be for care and safety and instead our investments are propagating and centering greed, disenfranchisement and violent death, that will have consequences for generations to come. These investments are in direct and insidious opposition to the professional ethics we as social workers make an oath to commit to these values ; service to others, social justice, dignity and worth of people, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. Divestment now!

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Our union dues and our union should be used to support workers and stand in solidarity with working people everywhere, not for genocide and oppression! Please pass the resolution!

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I am Jewish. The polish town my family is from no longer has a Jewish community, most of them were murdered in the Treblinka death camp. For my entire life, I could never understand how something that horrific could happen. I wondered how could people do nothing during those horrors?

I am horrified to say I now understand how Holocausts happen because I am watching one in Gaza. And I learned from my experience trying to pass a ceasefire resolution at the Ukiah city council that Holocausts happen when people say “it’s not our business”

But what’s happening in Gaza is our business. Especially when our SEIU dues and tax dollars are funding the genocide!

Mendocino County Chapter SEIU 1021

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Let's stand on the right side of history

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Let's stand on the right side of history

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Different passports or identification papers for different racial, ethnic, or national groups. This brings to mind practices of Nazi Germany and Apartheid South Africa.

Israel is an Apartheid State - pure and simple. If you need more information, check out this explainer by UK NGO War on Want, which was written in 2001.

"Under Israeli law, and in practice, Jewish Israelis and Palestinians are treated differently in almost every aspect of life: housing, education, health, employment, family life, residence, and freedom of movement. Dozens of Israeli laws and policies institutionalise this prevailing system of racial discrimination and domination."

See the parallels for yourself: Why is Israel called an Apartheid State?

“We identify with the PLO because, just like ourselves, they are fighting for the right of self-determination.” - Nelson Mandela

In 1985, as a young college student, I first became involved in the movement to divest from South Africa. Like the student encampments today, we built shantytowns on our campus to symbolize the conditions that Black South Africans were forced to endure and to expose our college's complicity in propping up a racist regime. Our demand then, as now, was divestment from Apartheid. That movement continued to grow until South African Apartheid finally fell in the early 1990s.

Divestment is morally righteous, and an effective strategy, to escalate pressure on the oppressive and genocidal Israeli regime. Let's stand on the right side of history, and vote today to divest from Israeli Apartheid, Occupation and Genocide.

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Israel's tiered ID system grants full rights only to Jewish Israelis.

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To me, the most powerful Jewish value is Tikkun Olam, repairing the world. My family did not flee antisemitic pogroms in Tsarist Russia just for their trauma and my tax dollars and union dues to be used for ethnic cleansing, genocide, war crimes, and occupation. Never again, means never again for anyone.

As a large and influential union, we have the power to materially support efforts to bring about equal rights for all people, including divesting from entities that violate the rights of our fellow humans. I urge our union to answer the call of Palestinian trade unions and divest!

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We won our union just over a year ago and to my surprise I’ve emerged as a leader in our organizing committee, on our bargaining team, and I was lucky enough to attend the SEIU Convention in May as a guest delegate. I can confidently say that the reason I am a part of the labor movement today is because of the struggle of the Palestinian people against their oppression and against imperialism. I learned everything I know about organizing people through the anti-war movement. I learned how to talk to people, to hand out flyers and collect signatures, to build signs and paint banners, to plan and execute a protest, to build coalitions, to disagree respectfully, to meet people where they’re at, to stand up for others and myself, to care for my community, and to use my voice even when it wavers. And I know I’m not the only one. If we do not pass this divestment resolution we risk alienating the next generation of union leaders who are unequivocally anti-war, anti-imperialism, and anti-racist. If we want to welcome a million new workers into SEIU then we must be on the right side of history. Look at the college campuses across the US and across the globe and see the youth mobilizing, risking their degrees and their physical safety, for a free palestine. They engaging in a crash course on how to organize people power. These are the future workers of the world and they are our future union siblings. We must divest in war and apartheid NOW!

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Nat Kramm, CalAcademy Workers United (Bargaining Team member and Organizing Committee)

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Now is the time for our union to lead the way to stop the genocide in Gaza. We all have a duty to uphold human rights. Too many innocent lives have been lost , including at least 15,000 children through Israel's indiscriminate bombing of Palestine. It is within our power as people united to end this. No money for war! Divest now!

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Tarnel Abbott, Contra Costa COPE, Retired Librarian City of Richmond

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no money for genocide. free palestine!

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I am so proud to be a member of a strong and active union, but I am so ashamed of what my union is supporting. Through political endorsements, passivity, and investments, SEIU is acting as a participant in the genocide of Palestinians and the perpetuation of imperial colonial violence. We must divest from all business associated with military and police activity and we must do it now.

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1021- let’s lead the way on divestment! 

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1021- let’s lead the way on divestment! 

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As a Jewish American of conscience, I’ve been proud of SEIU 1021’s Palestine resolution. I can’t wait for us to take the logical next step and commit to divestment. Other unions look to us for leadership and will follow suit. 1021 is the only institution I’m a part of that has the moral courage to be unapologetically on the right side of history. I can honestly say that the community of activists I’ve found in 1021 has been keeping my spirit going through the moral and spiritual crisis of these times. As our leadership, I know you will make the right choice to continue aligning our actions with our values by committing to divest from the Israeli war machine. Palestine is the wedge- this choice is a blueprint for assuring that our investments are not contributing to oppression of the people of in Congo, Sudan, Haiti, The Philippines- all these struggles are interconnected. Until we are all free, none of us is free!

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We must divest from the zionist and white supremacist war machine immediately. SEIU and SEIU 1021 leadership have sat around for months and years while our union dollars and tax dollars fund war and genocide across the world. It is despicable, and we can do so much better. May we imagine and create a world where we support life with all we have, not cause death because we won’t do the work to change.

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I hope one day that I’ll be able to visit my friends and family in a free Palestine. I hope one day I will be able to freely enter Palestinian land without interrogation or harassment from 18 year old soldiers who treat every Palestinian as if they are an enemy of the state. I hope one day I can say that the Palestinians survived a genocide. Clearly, there are no militaries coming to save the Palestinians from this apartheid regime who have said that there are no such thing as an innocent Palestinians. Just as in the fight against apartheid South Africa, divestment is one of our most important tools to leverage against this genocidal state — especially given that the US government insists on arming and protecting the occupation regime of Israel. We must do our part as workers and civil society to reject these crimes against humanity. Divest now! This is our chance to make a real impact. Let’s not just talk the talk. Let’s walk the walk. Let’s put our money where our mouth is.

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As one of the largest unions in this country, our actions can lead the way in showing international solidarity. We must divest from all companies that profit off of genocide and apartheid, NOW.  

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As one of the largest unions in this country, our actions can lead the way in showing international solidarity. We must divest from all companies that profit off of genocide and apartheid, NOW.  

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I was at the UCSC picket line last month to support student workers from UAW 4811 striking for UC divestment and against the brutal treatment of students and workers by the university. Despite not being in our geographic area, many of them knew of SEIU 1021 by name because of our strong ceasefire resolution. At the picket line, we also heard testimony from retired members of ILWU who had refused to load ships as part of the fight to end South African apartheid. We know that union power has been instrumental in many fights for justice, and that the actions of one union can impact those of others in the labor movement. SEIU 1021 has already led the way with our ceasefire resolution - it’s time to put those words into action and divest from genocide and apartheid.

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We have power being part of a union as big as SEIU 1021. It pains me that a labor union such as ourselves are invested in Israel and companies that profit off the genocide in Palestine or anywhere and any other unethical investments that contribute to social and environmental inequality. We passed a strong ceasefire resolution and need to follow in the footsteps of others that have divested already. Now is the time to step up and the longer we wait the more we contribute to the thousands upon thousands of lives being lost in Palestine. No genocide in our name and no investment in genocide! We must divest now!

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We divested from the South African apartheid state - We can divest from Israel's apartheid state.

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We divested from the South African apartheid state - We can divest from Israel's apartheid state.

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Excuse my language. But genocide is more offensive than a F bomb. Onward and upward. We can do this.

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SEIU 1021's Ceasefire Resolution called for an end to military aid to Israel and the end of the occupation of Palestine. In order to put these words into action and stay in alignment with our proclaimed values, our union must divest from weapons manufacturers, from carceral institutions, from companies that profit from apartheid, colonization and ethnic cleansing, and from the fossil fuel industry!

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Critical support for the SEIU Local 1021 Resolution on the Divestment From the Occupation and Genocide in Palestine 

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Critical support for the SEIU Local 1021 Resolution on the Divestment From the Occupation and Genocide in Palestine 

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This is an important resolution to demanding that our union divest from Divest from weapons manufacturers and companies that build technology such as artificial intelligence

(AI) and surveillance technology for military use, from private prison companies, immigrant detention companies and border patrol contractors, companies that profit from apartheid, colonization, and ethnic cleansing, and the fossil fuel industry. A union that stands for social justice and the rights of the working class has to chart a clear class line, and how it uses workers' resources is but one way to do that. However, I believe that the resolution needs to go further to divest from policing, another crucial class line on the contested terrain of the class struggle. Police are sworn enemies of the working class and serve only capital. They break our strikes, evict our neighbors, attack students protesting genocide in Palestine and systemic racism. SEIU organizes 37,000 law enforcement and 15,000 sworn officers, including the officers who murdered Rayshard Brooks. These so called "members" were a part of the police murder of Tortuguita, a peaceful protester opposed to the building of Cop City, which is fully supported by the Atlanta Police Department, who are members of SEIU/NAGE or SEIU 5000. These same police are also trained by the IOF through the Georgia International Law Enforcement Exchange (GILEE) program https://prismreports.org/2023/11/14/stop-cop-city-gilee-palestinian-genocide/

SEIU must stand against and divest from these racist, Zionist trained, anti-working class elements in our union! #SEIUDroptheCops

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Stop Funding Genocide !

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I am a member of the West Bay Retiree chapter and I am in favor of our local union (and State and International SEIU too) divesting our funds in industries used for war making and degrading the environment. As unionists we have an ethical duty to ourselves, future members of our union and the larger society to be a force for human, civil and environmental justice. There are many possible investments that do not profit from the suffering of humans or other beings. The union movement along with students and then larger segments of society, have a proud history of divesting from apartheid South Africa and in our time we need to continue the same proud tradition.

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Another SEIU 1021 Jewish member for Divestment!

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Another SEIU 1021 Jewish member for Divestment!

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My Beyt Tikkun community is actively working for divestment from Israeli war and occupation. Please vote our SEIU values and support divestment. thank you Executive Board.

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Our voices matter and in a capitalist society, our labor and money hold POWER and leverage more than anything. To create a better world, we have to take action toward it, and our union is not the only one taking action to divest from funding the genocide in Gaza. Just as individuals are stronger together, unions are stronger together!! As a union, let's spearhead divestment from genocide! SEIU 1021 has my full support!

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1021 members at AHS want divestment now!

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1021 members at AHS want divestment now!

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1021,

Divest from the imperialist war machine now. Open the books. Show membership that our dues are not supporting violence and incarceration.

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My community of Jewish workers have been fighting tirelessly to end the genocide, end the occupation and end Israeli apartheid. We need our union to step up and demonstrate the strength and integrity of Union Power by standing with us against the horrific war crimes and human rights violations that are happening in Gaza AND the West Bank. We need to divest from Israeli companies and arms manufacturers IMMEDIATELY. It is important that unions show up in this moment in history for the coming generations to see the utility of being in a union, especially as we are being undermined by union busting efforts in Washington. Make us proud SEIU Local 1021 Executive Board!

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"Israel is only able to maintain its regime of occupation, colonization and apartheid over the Palestinian people because of international complicity" (https://bdsmovement.net/).

Corporations that OUR UNION invest in play a key role in this. Our Local needs to break this complicity and intentionally divest from any funds tied to the direct and indirect wholesale murders of Palestinians and the destruction of Palestine.

The carefully crafted proposed Divestment Resolution puts us in alignment with our Ceasefire Resolution and models ethical investment standards, for other Locals and unions to strive for. We must not shy away from cutting ties with companies who knowingly profit at the expense of human lives being killed.

DIVEST from weapons manufacturers and companies that build technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) and surveillance technology for military use. DIVEST from private prison companies, immigrant detention companies and border patrol contractors. DIVEST from companies that profit from apartheid, colonization, and ethnic cleansing. DIVEST from the fossil fuel industry.

We can make informed investment choices that respect human rights.

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The Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement works to end international support for Israel's oppression of Palestinians and pressure Israel to comply with international law.

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DIVEST NOW!

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(Proposed) SEIU Local 1021 Resolution on Divestment From the Occupation and Genocide in Palestine

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(Proposed) SEIU Local 1021 Resolution on Divestment From the Occupation and Genocide in Palestine

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SEIU Local 1021 Resolution on Divestment From the Occupation and Genocide in Palestine