Indian unions call for end to labour deal with Israel
Major trade unions in India have called on their government to scrap an agreement with Israel that will allow tens of thousands of Indian workers to replace Palestinian construction workers whose work permits have been revoked since the Israeli war on Gaza started.
The statement, released on behalf of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), the BJP-affiliated Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), and several other Indian union organisations, called for India's trade union movements to show solidarity with Palestinian workers by refusing to replace them.
“Nothing could be more immoral and disastrous for India than the said 'export' of workers to Israel,” the group said in an open letter published on 9 November.
“That India is even considering 'exporting' workers shows the manner in which it has dehumanised and commodified Indian workers.
"Such [a] step will amount to complicity on India's part with Israel's ongoing genocidal war against Palestinians and will naturally have adverse implications for Indian workers in the entire region.”
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