Chris Smalls: Linking workers rights and Palestinian liberation

US Labor Movement Under Fire for Complicity in Israeli Genocide, Says Organizer Chris Smalls

Chris Smalls, a prominent labor organizer and activist who co-founded Amazon's first US union, has been speaking out about the US labor movement's complicity in Israel's genocide against Palestinians. The issue is more than just a matter of solidarity with the Palestinian people; it's about whether grassroots organizing can hold governments and corporations accountable for mass atrocities.

Smalls believes that if US dockworkers were as radicalized and militant as their counterparts overseas, they wouldn't be witnessing genocidal attacks in Gaza. This chilling observation puts the onus squarely on labor unions in the country to take action against Israel's war crimes.

The US labor movement has been criticized for its muted response to Israeli aggression, with many union leaders choosing to focus on economic issues rather than human rights concerns. Smalls is part of a growing chorus of activists who argue that workers have a moral obligation to stand up for Palestinian rights and hold the powerful accountable for their complicity in genocide.

For Smalls, this isn't just about politics; it's about the very real threat of violence facing Palestinians and the need for collective action. By linking worker's rights to Palestinian liberation, Smalls is drawing attention to a fundamental truth: that economic justice and human rights are deeply intertwined, and that workers' struggles cannot be disconnected from broader social movements.

The US labor movement has a long history of fighting for workers' rights, but this latest call to action raises questions about its willingness to engage with the complexities of international politics. Will the labor movement rise to the challenge posed by Smalls, or will it continue to sidestep the issue? The fate of Palestinians hangs in the balance.

this is a total game changer for me... I never thought i'd see the day where labor orgs would be called out for complicity in genocide and honestly, chris smalls' words are super valid - if us workers were as radicalized, maybe we wouldn't be witnessing this in gaza. like, isn't that what unionism is all about? standing up for the oppressed? i'm low-key impressed by smalls and his willingness to speak truth to power. it's about time we link worker's rights to human rights too, cuz let's be real, they're not two separate things

I just got back from a crazy road trip to Yellowstone and I'm still reeling from seeing those geysers in person! Have you ever been? They're like nature's own fireworks display . Anyway, back to this news... I don't know about the labor movement being complicit in Israeli genocide, but it does make me think about how we can actually hold people in power accountable. Like, what if we organized a huge protest at Amazon's HQ and demanded they take action against Israel? But then again, that might just be my idealistic side talking

gotta say, this whole thing is wild. US labor movement's complicity in Israeli genocide is a huge deal, like who knew they'd be so close with the powers that be? Smalls' point about radicalizing dockworkers and taking action is fire, tho

I'm low-key shocked that ppl are only now startin to talk about this. Like, shouldn't union leaders be aware of what's goin on in Gaza already? And honestly, I think Chris Smalls is bein way too optimistic about the labor movement changin its ways overnight. It's a massive system, man. They got ties with big corporations and governments that run deep. It's gonna take a lot more than just some outspoken orgs to make 'em listen. And what's the alternative? Just ignore the fact that Israel's doin genocidal stuff and keep on makin money off cheap labor? I don't think so.

I gotta say, this is super concerning. The US labor movement has always been about fighting for workers' rights, but if they're not addressing human rights issues like this, what's the point? I mean, we're living in a world where Israel's committing genocide and our unions are just over here focusing on wages and benefits. It doesn't add up. We need to be holding corporations and governments accountable for their actions, not just talking about it. The fact that Chris Smalls is speaking out like this shows us that there are people who care deeply about both workers' rights and human rights. So, I'm rooting for the labor movement to take a stand on this one. It's time to get real about what's at stake here.

omg u guys i just read this article about Chris Smalls and i am SHOOK he's literally saying that if US dockworkers were more radicalized they wouldn't be seeing genocide in Gaza and that labor unions need to take action against Israel's war crimes i'm so tired of ppl being too caught up in "economic issues" to care about human rights like we cant just link workers' rights to Palestinian liberation and expect everything to magically fix itself? it's not just about politics it's about the real threat of violence facing Palestinians and we need collective action ASAP

can't believe these unions are more worried about their pension plans than actual human lives what's going on with our labor movement is a total failure of leadership, folks need to wake up and smell the coffee, solidarity for Palestine shouldn't be just a hashtag, it should be a matter of life or death

this is a super messed up situation - US labor unions are supposed to be all about workers' rights, but instead they're kinda colluding with Israel's human rights abuses? that's some uncomfortable optics for anyone who cares about social justice.

i think smalls is onto something by pointing out that economic struggles and human rights issues arent mutually exclusive - we need unions to start seeing the bigger picture and linking worker's rights to broader social movements. its time for them to take a stand on this issue, even if it makes some people uncomfortable

I'm so worried about what's going on in Gaza I mean, we're talking about a humanitarian crisis here and our labor movement is just... idling on the sidelines? It's like, I get that economic issues are important, but what's the point of fighting for better wages and benefits if we can't even be bothered to speak out against genocide?

And Chris Smalls is totally right, you know? If our dockworkers were as radicalized as some of their international counterparts, maybe they wouldn't have to live in fear of being attacked by Israeli forces. But no, instead we're just talking about organizing better healthcare plans and higher wages... meanwhile the world is burning

I'm not saying it's going to be easy to get labor unions on board with this issue, but Smalls is right that workers have a moral obligation to stand up for Palestinian rights. It's not just about politics or social justice - it's about basic human decency . We need to start linking our struggles to broader social movements and holding the powerful accountable for their actions. Otherwise, we're just complicit in all this suffering