American Trade Union Council for Histadrut - excerpt from Lee O'Brien, American Jewish Organizations and Israel, 1986
This page is an extract, reproduced with permission, from Lee O'Brien, American Jewish Organizations and Israel, Washington DC: Institute for Palestine Studies, 1986. [1]
- Year established: 1947
- Chairman: Morton Bahr
- Address: 33 East 67th Street, New York, NY 10021
- Publication: Shalom (with NCLI)
- Slogan: ‘Worker to Worker in the Free Democratic Trade Union Movement’
General Background, Role and Structure
The American Trade Union Council for Histadrut (ATUCH) or ATUC is an affiliate of the NCLI; it was founded at a Labor Zionist emergency conference in 1947 and has since played a major role in mobilizing U.S. labor support for Israel. Both the AFL and CIO urged their affiliated unions ‘to take an active part in the promotion of the American Trade Union Council in the aid of the Histadrut and the establishment of a national homeland for the Jewish people.’ [2] The ATUC has a dual purpose: educating people in the United States about the Histadrut and Israel and fundraising. It describes itself as ‘the ideological and pragmatic link between the two free trade union movements of Israel and the United States.’ [2]
As a network of local councils, the ATUC works closely with the Canadian Trade Union Council for Histadrut; in 1981, it put the number of active Trade Union Councils in the United States at forty-seven, with two more in Canada. Although the ATUC is technically an affiliate of the NCLI, it is an independent member of the Presidents Conference.
Since the establishment of the ATUC, leaders of major American and Canadian labor unions (including the United Auto Workers, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and major AFL-CIO affiliated unions) have served as honorary chairs. The combination of Jewish and non-Jewish labor provides the ATUC with a much wider legitimacy than if it were only representing Jewish labor. ATUC and other NCLI events are often co-sponsored by the AFL-CIO and its member unions. AFL-CIO leaders also present awards and serve as masters of ceremonies at NCLI and ATUC events.
The ATUC periodically releases statements aimed at influencing U.S. public opinion and foreign policy. A ‘Resolution of Policy’ adopted at its annual conference in November 1970 stated in part: We petition the U.S. Government to bring to Israel without delay the added strength and support it now needs. This manifestly includes such planes and other armaments as have been requested, or may need to be requested, by the Government of Israel. It may well include vastly increased economic and financial assistance. [3]
In addition to their regular fundraising efforts, the ATUC has been able to raise large sums of money in emergency funds. In January 1969, ATUC's executive board raised $1 million in emergency funds from trade unions, their officers, and members, citing ‘the explosive situation’ in the Middle East. [4] The New York chapter (Greater NY/TUCH) held a drive in August 1970 to raise $100,000 for emergency medical services for wounded soldiers and civilians in ‘response to the news of increased fighting along Israel's borders during the past summer.’ [3]
