Greetings to Port Workers’ Union

We solute you in your stance in defence of people of Palestine and your actions in refusing to handle the military equipment to and from Israel as of January 28, 2025.

The news of your decision to stop handling any such containers, as voted for by almost two third majority of SDU members in December 2024, was hailed with much joy among all those in the global movement of civilised humanity. Upon hearing of your decision, the port employers did all they could to break your resolve and solidarity action against the genocide and the continuous criminal acts of the Israeli state.

As reported by dock workers in the USA, Italy and other countries, the employers and governments have stood alongside and in cooperation with the Israeli state by codifying and concealing the contents of containers. This is the same plot, albeit now with more advanced technology, which was commonly used by employers several decades ago to safeguard the arms trade with South Africa during the apartheid rule. 

Despite tens of thousands of dead and many more wounded, extensive devastation, carnage and misery inflicted by the Israeli state on the people of Palestine, there was no doubt that employers would once again try to resort to the courts to stop dock workers and their solidarity and ban their industrial actions. Just the same, there is no doubt that it was the strength of your resolve and your united commitment that were instrumental in foiling the employers’ attempts to get an injunction in the labour courts.

Having failed in their efforts to ban the industrial action of dock workers, the employers, were determined to take revenge and sacked the spokesperson of the union, Erik Helgeson. The dismissal of Erik Helgeson is certainly not only aimed against the national deputy chair of SDU, but an attempt by the port employers to warn off workers everywhere. This is an act against a truly global movement that has declared its aims as putting an end to the genocide, ethnic cleansing and apartheid that rule in Israel.

We condemn the collaboration of the port employers with the Israeli state, and the dismissal of Erik Helgeson. We stand in solidarity with Swedish dock workers and demand the immediate reinstatement of Erik Helgeson. 

Hekmatist Party (official line) 
Organisation Abroad – Sweden
19 February 2025