A communal activist has warned of a concerted effort to get the Trades Union Congress to overturn its anti-boycott stance towards Israel.
After boycott motions appeared on the conference agendas of a number of smaller unions, and a week after it was revealed that the University and College Union was trying to reactivate its academic boycott, Steve Scott of Trade Union Friends of Israel said he believed this was the start of a bigger campaign.
“In the long term, a proper boycott with a campaign of sanctions and disinvestment would be our fear,” said Mr Scott. “The unions want to goad the TUC into a major change of its position. But this would not be without its problems for the TUC. We believe our opponents are being taken down a very dangerous path that could bring difficulties with the world trade union.”
The Scottish Trades Union Congress will debate a motion from Kilmarnock and Loudon Trades Council at its conference on April 21, calling for a consumer boycott of Israeli goods and disinvestment of pension funds in firms that supply arms to Israel. This is a position the STUC had adopted previously but it could become an issue again.
