The International Alliance of App-Based Transport Workers (IAATW) has taken a bold stance in solidarity with Palestine by pledging to boycott Chevron-owned gas and petrol stations across twenty countries. This global federation of grassroots driver and app-based transport-worker unions represents over one hundred thousand drivers and has called for a mass boycott of Chevron for its complicity in Israeli settler colonialism.
Chevron, as a leading international actor extracting gas claimed by Israel in the Eastern Mediterranean, has long supported Israeli apartheid. The company is directly involved in Israel’s deprivation of Palestinian sovereignty over natural resources, contributing to the pillage of Palestinian gas reserves off the shores of the occupied Gaza Strip. These actions constitute war crimes under international law and further exacerbate the human rights abuses committed by Israel.
By boycotting Chevron, drivers across twenty countries will avoid all Chevron-owned gas stations both on and off the job, opting for alternative gas stations instead. IAATW plans to hold an international education day with Workers in Palestine to raise awareness, educate, and mobilize drivers in solidarity with Palestine. Additionally, the union intends to coordinate international strikes with the climate justice movement to disrupt Chevron’s finances in various cities.
The motion to boycott Chevron was unanimously passed by IAATW affiliates from countries such as South Africa, Nigeria, Mexico, Chile, the United States, Canada, France, Australia, and the United Kingdom. In a strong statement, they declared their solidarity with the Palestinian people and their labor movement, demanding an immediate ceasefire and an end to Israeli apartheid and military occupation. They urge other labor unions to join them in this stance.
IAATW’s actions highlight the unique power of app-based workers in creating a global network of worker solidarity. Despite the challenges of organizing a scattered and insecure workforce, the union has successfully mobilized over one hundred thousand members to stand in solidarity with Palestine. The gig economy, built on shifting costs onto workers, has not deterred these workers from organizing and advocating for justice.
The historic resolution passed by IAATW echoes past boycott movements, drawing inspiration from the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa. South African trade unions played a crucial role in fighting apartheid, recognizing the connection between racial oppression and capitalism. Worker movements have historically been instrumental in national liberation struggles, emphasizing the importance of labor internationalism in the pursuit of liberation worldwide.
IAATW’s boycott of massive oil companies like Chevron signifies a strategic move by workers to leverage their unique position as non-official employees of app companies. Unlike traditional industries where workers may be restricted from launching such boycotts, app-based workers have the freedom to take collective action. This boycott symbolizes more than just a response to crisis; it represents the transformative potential of a new form of resistance, organizing for a free Palestine.
In conclusion, IAATW’s solidarity with Palestine demonstrates the power of organized worker movements in advocating for justice and challenging complicity in human rights abuses. By taking a stand against Chevron and supporting the Palestinian people’s quest for liberation, these app-based workers are paving the way for a more just and equitable world.
