One of EPA’s most vocal unions is backing a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, joining other labor allies of President Joe Biden who have pushed for peace in the Middle East.
Members of American Federation of Government Employees Local 704, which represents about a thousand EPA Region 5 employees, voted last week to call for an end to hostilities in Gaza.
They joined the labor movement’s cease-fire resolution — supported by the United Auto Workers, the American Postal Workers Union and National Nurses United — that says Palestinians’ rights must be restored and Israeli hostages taken by Hamas in their Oct. 7 attack must be released.
AFGE Local 704’s endorsement of a cease-fire adds to the growing pressure on the Biden administration from more progressive Democrats to end Israel’s military campaign. It also comes as the United States let a cease-fire resolution pass the U.N. Security Council earlier this week, straining relations with the Israeli government, which canceled a visit by top officials to Washington in response.
