Members of the INMO, Fórsa and Siptu are holding a protest in solidarity with the people of Palestine, outside University Hospital Galway at lunchtime today (Friday).
The protest, which will take place from 1pm to 1.30pm, is part of a cross-union initiative of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, in which many workers around the country will gather at lunchtime for protests, brief silences, and other activities, in recognition of the suffering of Palestinian people.
INMO Assistant Director of Industrial Relations Colm Porter said:
Our members feel very strongly about the suffering that Palestinian people have endured while the world looks on. This protest is a way to express their anger and their sadness over the genocide in Gaza, and to show solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Trade unions are in a unique position to bring together voices from all over the country and send a clear message to the international community. We will not stop speaking out on the ongoing violence and disregard for international law and human rights in Palestine.
Fórsa Assistant General Secretary, Michael Kerrigan said:
Healthcare workers in Gaza are being deliberately targeted, hospitals bombed, ambulances destroyed, and medical staff killed while trying to save lives.
This action is to show Solidarity with the people of Palestine while also calling on the Irish Government to honour their commitments from last year's General Election and pass the Occupied Territories Bill which seeks to prohibit trade with goods and services originating from illegal settlements.
SIPTU organiser Irene Tiernan said:
As a trade union official, I am proud to stand alongside members of SIPTU, INMO, and Fórsa in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
This action is about compassion and justice, values that unite workers everywhere. Our members are using their lunch break to send a clear message: we will not stay silent in the face of suffering.
This is not industrial or strike action, this is a peaceful, collective gesture that reflects the values of our union.