By Joe Maniscalco

More Americans are taking their demand for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza to the streets — but it continues to be a different story in the workplace where many are feeling pressure from their bosses — and sometimes, their unions — to keep their heads down and their mouths shut.

“I think people feel uncomfortable about it because it is a divisive issue — but I don’t think it should be controversial at all to say we should have a ceasefire,” special education teacher Hannah Findlay told work-Bites at this weekend’s ceasefire rally at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. “I think that’s the basic minimum thing people should be calling for.”

Hundreds of neighborhood residents — many of them families with their kids in tow — rallied at the entrance to Prospect Park on Sunday to denounce Congress Member Dan Goldman’s [D-NY10th District] ongoing failure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Hundreds more marched through the streets of Downtown Brooklyn just a couple of days prior to that, calling on U.S Representative Hakeem Jeffries [D-NY8th District] to finally denounce the unfolding genocide in Gaza and call for an immediate ceasefire.

“It shouldn’t be controversial — but I wouldn’t feel comfortable about bringing it up at work,” an accountant who requested anonymity told Work-Bites at Sunday’s ceasefire rally. “I bring it up socially, but not in the workplace.”

Calls for a ceasefire in Gaza have roiled the United Federation of Teachers. The union voted down an amendment calling for a ceasefire in Gaza at its November Delegate Assembly held earlier last week. The vote sparked great acrimony, and resulted in members of the MORE Caucus walking out in protest, calling the democratic process “restrictive”, and jeering union president Michael Mulgrew for his “inflammatory accusations.”

“The UFT has a long tradition of voting down progressive resolutions and shutting down dissent with it,” a union teacher from Brooklyn who also requested anonymity told Work-Bites on Sunday. “The schools chancellor also sent out emails telling people not to talk about [a ceasefire] in schools — I thought we had left that kind of stuff behind with Trump.”

UFT retiree Lewis Friedman taught school for 30 years before retiring back in the 90s.

“My union has long-given support for Israel no matter what they do — even now, with this ultra-rightwing leadership,” he told Work-Bites.

The UFT is far from the only powerful union rejecting calls for a ceasefire in Gaza, however. In October, the AFL-CIO released a short, tepid statement about talking about how the “labor movement condemns and stand resolute against all terrorism, and we are concerned about the emerging humanitarian crisis that is affecting Palestinians” — but that’s been about it.

When last checked,  an independent petition  declaring the U.S. labor movement’s support for a "ceasefire in Israel and Palestine” was still short of its goal of 2,500 supporters. Unions in support of the ceasefire call include, UFCW 3000, United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America, and SEIU-United Service Workers West, as well as several UAW and IWW chapters and others. 

Several teachers unions from around the country are also signatories, including the American Federation of Teachers - Oregon, Chicago Teachers Union, and Massachusetts Teachers Association.

“It is frustrating seeing teachers unions in other cities consistently being much more progressive whether it’s about Black Lives Matter, or restorative justice, or now, the ceasefire issue,” the Brooklyn teacher added. “Of course, we need to protect our students and approach things with compassion and openness, encouraging curiosity instead of telling kids what to think. But I’m not surprised at all by anything the chancellor or UFT is doing.”

Democratic District Leader Lydia Green, a descendant of Nazi Holocaust survivors, meanwhile blasted Rep. Goldman for his failure to call for a ceasefire in Gaza, as well as his vote with “MAGA extremists” to censure fellow Congress Member Rashida Tlaib [D-MI12th District].

“As our ancestors were persecuted, my Jewish family raised me to stand up for the safety of all life,” Green told the Grand Army Plaza rally. “My Jewish values teach me that all life is sacred — Israeli life and Palestinian life; Muslim life and Jewish life. Every life is an entire world. Every Palestinian sheltering from bombs in Gaza, every Israeli hostage that was kidnapped and held by Hamas alike — they all have friends and parents and cousins; they all have hopes and dreams; they all feel fear and pain. Every single death in this war has extinguished an entire world. Representative Goldman, your actions during this war have shown you only value the lives of Jews and Israelis at the expense of the lives of Palestinians. You say that you’re defending Jews — but this war goes against my Judaism and the Judaism of thousands of your other constituents.”

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