UK’s second largest union to Boycott HP

London (QNN)- In a major victory for the Boycott HP campaign and BDS movement, the second largest British and Irish trade union, with 1.2 million members, Unite the Union , joined the campaign and announced intentions of boycotting HP.

Unite joins Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging (FNV), the Netherland’s largest trade union, with 1.1 million members, which dropped HP as a partner in their offers to their members in April.

The Boycott HP campaign and the trade unions concerns’ focus on HP and HPE’s provision of equipment and technology for Israel’s army and police, and for the population database that Israel uses to enforce its system of racial segregation.

Unite, in its Executive Council meeting in June, passed a resolution to end the purchase of HP products and replace existing ones. Unite the Union noted this as a step in the direction of setting their standards for solidarity to global campaigns for justice and support for all workers.

“While Israel escalates its occupation, apartheid and colonisation against the Palestinian people,Hewlett Packard companies profiteer from this grave violation of international law and Palestinian human rights,” Member of Unite the Union, Joseph Bleach said.

“Until HP companies end all such involvement in serious human rights violations, we shall continue to exclude them. Our trade union will continue to stand in solidarity with workers and struggles for justice in Palestine and globally,” he added.

In April 2018, Dublin City Council became the first European capital to endorse BDS and to promise to end its contracts with HP companies and DXC Technology, an HP spin-off.

Boycott HP is one campaign in the growing, Palestinian-led, global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions ( BDS ) movement, which was inspired by the global movement against apartheid in South Africa.