Members at several unions are demanding that their pension fund divest from firms tied to Israel’s illegal occupation.
Union members at several post-secondary institutions across Ontario are demanding that their pension fund, the University Pension Plan (UPP), divest from firms tied to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.
The Workers’ Campaign for UPP Divestment consists of workers from unions and faculty associations across the province, including members of: the United Steelworkers (USW) local 1998; Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) locals 3902 and 1230; the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA); CUPE 3913 and the University of Guelph Faculty Association; the Trent University Faculty Association (TUFA); and the Queen’s University Faculty Association.
The campaign is calling on the UPP to adhere to its own responsible investment policy and divest from military industries, “including but not limited to Israel’s military,” and illegal occupation, “including but not limited to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine.” The coalition is also demanding the UPP exclude any new investments that meet these criteria.
The UPP covers more than 44,000 members across six universities and 19 sector organizations and holds $12.8 billion in assets. The jointly sponsored pension fund also has an “investment exclusion policy” that upholds “environment, social and governance” (ESG) principles.
The Workers’ Campaign describes itself as following “the grassroots tradition of internationalist worker solidarity by upholding the principle of divestment.” Moreover, the coalition of labour organizations is responding to the call from Palestinian civil society organizations for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) “until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law.” (more...)
University Union Members Want To Divest From Israel’s Crimes
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