SUNDAY 2nd FEBRUARY 2025, 2 – 6pm
A conference for Trade Unionists in Waltham Forest to discuss and develop workers’ solidarity with Palestine
Blackhorse Road Baptist Church
65 Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow,
London, E17 7AS
Waltham Forest Trades Council invites all local Trade Unionists to a conference to: learn, exchange information, and discuss the current situation in Palestine, its root causes, and the role of the UK government, businesses, and institutions, including trade unions in maintaining it; explore the positions of Palestinian and UK trade unions on the issues of occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing and genocide; address the role of workers in the arms industry and the role of their Trade Unions in enabling the genocide of the Palestinian people, and inform ourselves of alternatives to this deadly industry; create a local network of trade unionists to effectively confront and challenge the arms industry and British complicity in the ongoing Genocide in Gaza, and build solidarity with the Palestinian people.
Speakers include: Kevin Parslow, Secretary of Waltham Forest Trades Council; Riya Al-Sanah, Workers in Palestine (www.workersinpalestine.org); Khem Rogaly (researcher at Common Wealth, author of A Lucas Plan for the Twenty First Century); and Kevin Courtney (Former General Secretary of the National Education Union).
The conference will include workshops on practical responses to the ongoing genocide in Palestine, such as: organising for Palestine in trade union branches; bringing together internationalism with grassroots solidarity activism; building trade union opposition to a defence industrial strategy for war and supporting genocide to alternative strategies for peace and socially useful production; building the divestment and boycott campaign in the trade union movement.
Light refreshments will be provided.
Trade union branches are invited to send delegates and contribute £10 per delegate.
Please email wftradescouncil@googlemail.com with the delegate’s name, branch, and email address, and make payments to Waltham Forest Trades Council, 60−83−01, Account number 59109774, reference PalConf.
Additional donations by Branches and via the collection at the event would be much appreciated, to help cover the cost of this important event.
Please, note that individual trade union members, living or working in Waltham Forest can attend for free.
There is limited space for stalls for local Palestine solidarity organisations and trade union campaign literature and recruitment forms. Let us know if you are interested.
Volunteers are needed to help run this event. If you can help, please email wftradescouncil@googlemail.com.
Location
The venue is situated on Blackhorse Road between St. James Street Overground/bottom of Walthamstow Market and Blackhorse Road Station (Victoria Line). It’s approximately a 5 minute walk to the church from either end of Blackhorse Road. The building is fully accessible from the Southcote Road entrance. There is an accessible toilet on the ground floor.
Public Transport
St James Street Station – (Overground)
Go to www.accessable.co.uk and search for ‘St James Street Station’ for detailed access information.
Blackhorse Road Tube (Victoria Line)
Please check the TfL website in case there are any problems with the lift and escalator service before travelling.
Buses
Blackhorse Road is served by bus routes: 158, 230 and W11. The nearest bus stop (on both sides of the road) is Longfield Avenue.