3,500 Member-Strong Indian Trade Union Refuses To Load-Unload Weapon Shipments To Israel

The Water Transport Workers Federation of India (WTWFI), representing 3,500 workers at 11 major Indian ports, has declared its refusal to handle weapon shipments destined for Israel. This decision comes amid escalating tensions and violence in the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In a strong statement, the WTWFI condemned the recent attacks on Gaza and expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people. They declared, “We, the Port workers, part of labour unions would always stand against the war and killing innocent people like women and children.”

The statement dated February 14 further elaborated, “Loading and unloading these weapons helps provide organizations with the ability to kill innocent people. Therefore, We, the Indian Port & Dock Workers from various Major Ports active in the ground of Cargo handling sector, call on our members to no longer handle any ships which carry military material to Palestine/Israel.”

This move by WTWFI aligns with the World Federation of Trade Unions” (WFTU) recent call for global solidarity with Palestine. The WFTU urged the international community to take immediate action to prevent further suffering and condemned the “hypocrisy” of some nations supporting the conflict.

The decision by the WTWFI coincides with a rising death toll in the Gaza Strip. As of February 19th, the Hamas-run health ministry reports over 28,985 Palestinian fatalities and 68,883 wounded since the conflict”s outbreak in October 2023.