Media Release: Union solidarity grows as protestors take to the streets for 8th week

1 December 2023 – for immediate release

Pro-Palestine protesters will rally once again this Sunday for the eighth week in a row, as prominent CFMEU leader billed to speak.
 
National secretary of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Union Christy Cain will address Palestine supporters this week. Cain has spent 50 years in the union movement leading numerous campaigns for local jobs, equitable wages and family friendly rosters in the construction and maritime industries.
 
Both the construction and maritime unions have a history of standing up against colonial oppression, from South African Apartheid to the Vietnam War, to supporting First Nations people in Australia. “We are standing proudly for a world that lives in peace, including Palestinians,” Cain said, “We march, rally, protest with our fellow Australians to achieve that.”
 
Last month 100 Australian unions signed a statement in support of Palestine, including a call for immediate ceasefire as well as “an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and an end to apartheid and ethnic cleansing”,
 
“Union solidarity is very important to us”, said Free Palestine Melbourne spokesperson Mai Saif. “Maritime and transport workers have the power to shut down Australia’s material support of Israel, teachers and media workers have the power to change the narrative, workers are the lifeblood of Australia and they are saying they’ve had enough of Israel’s war crimes”
 
Jewish lawyer Sarah Schwartz will also speak at the rally. Schwartz is the Principle Managing Lawyer of the Wirraway police and Prison Accountability Practice at Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service and member of Loud Jew Collective.
 
Palestinian poet and playwright Samah Sabawi will also address the rally, along with Muayad Ali from Free Palestine Melbourne.
 
“We are happy to hear that the ceasefire continues and we hope it will extend further”, said Mai Saif of Free Palestine Melbourne on Friday. “However we are adamant that support for Palestine does not rest just because the bombardment is on hold. Israel is losing its control over the information war and support for Palestine is growing every day. Now more than ever we need to keep going”
 
The rally will begin at 12pm in front of the State Library with speeches. The crowd will then march to Parliament, in cooperation with Victoria Police, where more speeches will be held.
 
For interviews and commentary phone:  info@fpmelbourne.org