One of the biggest unions in the US joins call for ceasefire in Gaza

United Auto Workers, one of America's largest worker's unions, on Friday joined a growing list of organisations that are calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Speaking in front of the White House on Friday during a press conference where a group has been on hunger strike for five days.

“I’m proud today to announce that the UAW international has joined the call for a ceasefire in Israel and Palestine,” UAW director Brandon Mancilla said at the press conference.

UAW now becomes the largest US union to call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, after the American Postal Workers Union, UE union, and some smaller labour organisations already did so.

The union represents 400,000 workers in the US as well as over 580,000 retired workers.

The call for a ceasefire also comes after UAW secured a massive labour deal following its strike of the “Big Three” US automakers - Ford, General Motors and Jeep-maker Stellantis. The deal gave its members significant wage and benefit increases.

The ceasefire call also pulls the union away from US President Joe Biden on a key foreign policy issue, after the American president has shown support for UAW during its negotiations with automakers.