Letter from Dave Putson, Unite Community member
When Sharon Graham was very new as General Secretary of Unite I sent her an e mail, I was shocked to receive a return call within two hours. Subsequently I have sent e mails to her, sometimes I have had a response saying that she is on an industrial dispute and could not respond immediately. Eventually, responses to my mails came from what was probably her office staff.
I attended the Lobby of Unite HQ for the NEC meeting on March 11. Like other Unite members, I have been severely disappointed with the lack of any communication to Unite membership on Palestine and Gaza, despite the adoption of two very good resolutions on Palestine passed at the Unite delegate conference.
The day after the lobby I sent an e-mail to Sharon to express my concern. Sadly, even giving an entire week for a response from the end of the EC meeting, I have received nothing from Sharon or her office this time. I have heard what some others may have heard – although I have not been able to confirm it – that Sharon has now said Palestine and Gaza is not competent Unite business, which appears to reflect the same type of statement the Labour Party did when Starmer first became leader, when referencing CLPs attempting to discuss antisemitism.
It is significant and I think that Unite members and others should be aware of this lack of support for Palestine, Gaza and the expression of opposition to the genocide being perpetrated by the Zionist Israeli government and its occupation force. Certainly many Unite members I know are also seriously concerned.
